Presidents of Armenia and Hungary, Vahakn Khachaturyan and Katalin Novák hold a joint press conference in Budapest on Feb. 6

Hungary’s extradition of Azerbaijani axe-murder Ramil Safarov is in Yerevan’s rear view.

President Katalin Novák of Hungary hailed as “historic” the restoration of relations with Armenia when she hosted her Armenian counterpart Vahagn Khachatryan in Budapest.

Novák expressed hope that the two countries will be able to intensify their relations and achieve tangible results in cooperation efforts.

“The last time an Armenian president visited [Hungary] was in 2009, while this is the first presidential visit after the change of the political system, I hope that we will be able to alter this trend and intensify our relations and have more official visits between our countries. There is readiness on our side and I hope that on your side as well,” Novák said during a joint press conference with Khachatryan.

“We need to understand the context of our diplomatic relations in order to be able to resolve all misunderstandings of the past,” the Hungarian president said, citing two recently signed memorandums of understanding as a testament to the willingness of the two countries to cooperate.

Armenia cut off diplomatic relations with Hungary in 2012 after Budapest extradited Azerbaijani soldier Ramil Safarov, who was serving a sentence after being convicted of killing — with an axe — an Armenian military officer, Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan while both were taking part in NATO’s Partnership for Peace military training exercises in 2004.

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 imprisonment by the Hungarian court. However, in 2012 Hungary extradited him to Azerbaijan upon Baku’s request.

Axe-murder Ramil Safarov is given a hero’s welcome upon his extradition from Hungary

Upon his arrival in Baku, Safari was pardoned by President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and received a hero’s welcome. On the same day, then-President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian severed diplomatic relations with Hungary.

Azerbaijan’s Justice Ministry at the time had assured officials in Hungary that Safarov would continue to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan. However, hours after his arrival on an Azerbaijani Airways special flight, Aliyev signed an order to pardon Safarov. The pardon was effective from the day of signing. Safarov’s pardon contradicted Azerbaijani criminal code, according to which prisoners serving a life sentence can be freed only after having served a period of a minimum of 25 years.

An investigation in 2017, led by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project revealed that that several bank transfers—in excess of $7 million—were made to a Budapest bank account around the time the Hungarian government extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan.

As part of the investigation into what became know as the “Azerbaijani Laundromat”—a nearly $3 billion slush fund tied to Azerbaijan’s ruling elite and used to buy influence around the world—Hungarian investigative journalism NGO Átlátszó.hu revealed that the Budapest bank account belonged to an offshore company owned by the son of an influential Azerbaijani politician.

According to the OCCRP report, more than $7 million was transferred to the account in 2012 right around the time the Hungarian government struck its deal with Azerbaijani authorities, allowing for Safarov’s extradition. The offshore company was already shuttered at the time of the investigation.

Hungary and Azerbaijan remain close partners, with Hungarian leaders voicing support for Baku’s violent attack on Artsakh that resulted in the 44-Day War.

When Yerevan began to intensify its relations with the European Union, Armenia made overtures to Hungary, an EU member, and signaled the Armenian government’s willingness to restore ties.

President Khachatryan’s visit to Budapest is the first time an Armenian leader has made an official visit to Hungary and is seen as the beginning of thawing of relations between Yerevan and Budapest.

As part of Khachaturyan’s official visit to Hungary, a memorandum of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of culture, education and science was signed.

Khachatryan also hailed his visit as “historic,” saying Armenia is ready to develop relations with Hungary and “will do everything to ensure dynamic development.”

”This visit is historic following a long pause. In fact, we are initiating a new process. And personally, I and our delegation greatly appreciate it. I would like to express the readiness of the Republic of Armenia to actively restart a new phase of Armenian-Hungarian relations and to do everything to ensure that our relations undergo dynamic development and follow a logical course,” Khachaturyan said.

Novák, the Hungarian president, said her country wants Armenia to strengthen its relations with the EU.

“We want Armenia to strengthen its relations with the European Union. You can count on us. When Hungary takes over the presidency of the European Union in July, we will do everything to support Armenia and its relations with the EU, as well as to advance the visa liberalization process for Armenia,” said Novák, adding that the EU should strengthen its relations with the South Caucasus, and Hungary can be useful in that regard.