On November 17, the local office of the “Euronews” television channel began operating in Baku. Media representatives, diplomats, and other guests attended the opening ceremony. Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Board of “Euronews,” Pedro Vargas David, stated that the media organization he leads has always taken a balanced position toward Azerbaijan and has been pressured because of that position.
Pedro Vargas David expressed satisfaction with the opening of the Baku office of this respected European media organization.
Since November 2023, pressure on independent media in Azerbaijan has intensified. Over the last two years, nearly 30 journalists have been arrested. In March and April of 2025, the Azerbaijani government either shut down the local offices of international media outlets such as BBC, Reuters, Voice of America, and Bloomberg, or issued decisions limiting them to accreditation for only a single employee. Local independent media organizations such as Abzas Media, Toplum TV, and Meydan TV have been unable to continue operating within the country. Staff members of these organizations have been imprisoned.
So in such conditions, how did “Euronews” manage to open a local office in Azerbaijan and who stands behind it?
“Euronews” was founded on January 1, 1993. Although it had operated independently since its establishment, there were changes in the channel’s leadership in 2024. Klaus Strunz was appointed the channel’s new head. Strunz is known for his right-wing background at Germany’s Bild newspaper. He writes against migrants, is known as a supporter of Israel, and has even been accused of having business ties with Hungary’s right-wing leader Viktor Orban. Politico has written that Orban has significant influence over the channel. In addition, journalistic investigations have revealed business and personal ties between Hungary’s leader and Alpac Capital, the main company that owns the channel.
Media critics say that these changes at “Euronews” cast doubt on its independence. In recent years, “Euronews” has also produced video reports praising Azerbaijan’s nature, oil revenues, and economic situation.
It is for this reason that Pedro Vargas, the Chairman of the Board, faced criticism over his stance on Azerbaijan during the opening ceremony. France’s Le Monde wrote that in 2022, Vargas sold the channel to a company linked to Orban in a deal involving suspicious operations.
Viktor Orban is known in Europe for his right-wing and anti-democratic statements. He is a close friend of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and is known as a supporter of the Azerbaijani government when decisions are made in Europe.
Here is the revised version without using any dashes:
As Politico describes, the “brutal changes” at “Euronews” cast doubt on its ability to operate independently in Azerbaijan. At a time when Azerbaijan ranks among the lowest countries in the world in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press freedom index, and when independent media is being pushed out of the country, the conditions under which “Euronews” will operate, as well as its independence, remain uncertain.
