YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of Armenia to Sweden Artak Apitonyan gave an interview to Swedish “Dagen” daily over the anti-Armenian announcements made on April 9 during an Azerbaijani-Turkish initiated rally in Sergels torg square of Stockholm.

The Ambassador expressed concern in regard to that, condemning any demonstration of racial hatred. He announced that dissemination of anti-Armenian hatred is not a new phenomenon; it starts from the period of the Armenian Genocide. “But it is a new phenomenon to witness this in Sweden. It is  avery concerning development, there are direct calls to kill Armenians”, “Armenpress” reports the Ambassador mentioned, adding that such a call is heard in the EU for the first time.

The Ambassador informed that the Swedish authorities have not responded yet. At the same time he hoped that the Swedish Government will condemn the incident. Artak Apitonyan added that Armenians living in Sweden need security guarantees.

The Ambassador stated that the announcement of the vice president of the center co-coordinating Turkish organizations, Barbaros Leylani, should not be taken as the opinion of the majority of Turks living in Sweden, but definitely is represents the opinion of some of them.

Apitonyan expressed an opinion that the issue is linked with both the Armenian Genocide recognition process and the latest developments over Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and mentioned that Turkey actively support Azerbaijan, and it can be noted that they coordinate their efforts in several countries, a good evidence of which was the Stockholm march.

The Ambassador once again highlighted taking lessons from the history, stating that the denial of the Armenian Genocide paves the way for similar hate propaganda.

Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem is engaged in racist activities in democratic Europe’s heart. Turkish Worker's Union in Sweden in collaboration with Azerbaijanis living in Sweden held an anti-Armenian demonstration with slogans “Turk, wake up” in relation with the military aggression of Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The rally took place on April 9.

In the Swedish capital of Stockholm, Sergels square, vice president of the federation Barbaros Leylani announced that “Time for the unification of Turkish republics has arrived, it is already matured”.

Leylani expressed conviction that their successors will unite “the Turkic world”. “Turks awaken, Armenian scums must be finished, die Armenian scums, die, die”, he said.

Leylani, who introduces himself as “Turkman descendent”, thanking all the present, said, “By this we show all the Scandinavian countries and Europe that we do not want bloodshed, but we are ready for it”.