YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. An Armenian Genocide Commemoration event has taken place in the Church of Saint Mikha in the Belvaros district, Budapest.

This is the first such event held in Hungary since 2012, when the diplomatic relations between Armenia and Hungary were severed.

Diplomats, lawmakers, academics, and representatives of the local Armenian community participated in the event.

The Geghard ensemble performed medieval Armenian and European spiritual songs.

On the 1st of December 2022 Ararat Mirzoyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia and Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary held a meeting during the OSCE Ministerial Council in Łódź and agreed to restore diplomatic relations.

Yerevan severed diplomatic ties with Budapest after the latter extradited convicted murderer Ramil Safarov – who axed to death an Armenian serviceman in his sleep - to Azerbaijan.

Armenian military officer Lt. Gurgen Margaryan was murdered by Azerbaijani military officer Ramil Safarov during a February 2004 training course organized by NATO in Hungary.

Gurgen Margaryan was asleep in his room when Safarov attacked him with an axe.

During the trial in Hungary, Safarov admitted in court to having killed Margaryan because of his hatred towards Armenia and Armenians. He was sentenced to life in prison by the Hungarian court. However, in 2012 Hungary extradited him to Azerbaijan upon Baku’s request. He was released upon arrival, glorified on the state-level and pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev. On the same day, then-President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan severed diplomatic relations with Hungary.

The pardon and glorification of Safarov in Azerbaijan received widespread condemnation around the world.