Media monitoring in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, 25-29 December, 2023

● “Baku invites Yerevan to hold a meeting of foreign ministers on the border. Negotiations between the two countries should not become hostage to a third party,” stated Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Delimitation commissions have already met twice on the border.

● When asked about the future fate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh, Bayramov responded, “This is regulated by a tripartite statement. Their stay is planned until 2025.”

● “Azerbaijan was not the initiator of tensions in relations with the United States and is interested in further developing ties. Baku expects mutual steps from the American side for the complete normalization of relations,” expressed Jeyhun Bayramov.

● In Azerbaijan, over 5 thousand prisoners wear an electronic bracelet, according to the Ministry of Justice.

● Excise rates on cigarettes and alcohol have been increased in Azerbaijan, with the changes taking effect on January 1.

● A Creativity Center has opened in Lachin, with 8 artists and craftsmen conducting training sessions for the local population (pictured).

● Over 30 armed masked provocateurs carried out a coordinated attack on priests and members of the Armenian community in Jerusalem’s Koveru Partez area. Injuries were reported among priests, students of the Theological Academy of Armenia, and local residents, as per the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The identity of the attackers remains unknown.

●  “This is a blow below the belt for me,” stated Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin in response to a question about the presence of anti-Russian sentiments in the country.

● Starting from 2024, the country’s hospitals will receive unlimited funding for the implementation of government orders, according to a resolution by the Cabinet of Ministers.

● The authorities plan to introduce a system of discounts for the timely payment of fines for violating traffic rules. If the fine is paid within 15 days, only 50% of the amount will be required.

●  Yesterday’s storm winds damaged roofs and trees, leading to traffic blockages on some streets in Yerevan.

● The Tbilisi City Council approved the development plan for the Laguna Vere area, including two skyscrapers with 52 and 40 floors. The decision sparked controversy, with opposition members expressing concerns about the impact on traffic congestion in the central part of Tbilisi.

● The Tbilisi City Court has found two individuals and one legal entity guilty of receiving illegal income on an especially large scale, totaling 496,430 euros.

● A reduction in electricity fees by three tetri per kilowatt has been announced, with the decision taking effect on January 1.

● Czech Ambassador to Georgia Petr Kubernat calls for the cancellation of the decision to transfer territory in Pitsunda, Abkhazia, to Russia. Abkhazia plans to continue protesting against this decision.

● South Ossetian leader Alan Gagloev stated that while joining Russia is currently impossible, the issue remains on the agenda.

● In the Kakheti region, a hurricane demolished an iron structure, resulting in a fatality.

● At the annual awards ceremony at the Georgian Football Federation, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (pictured) was named the best Georgian football player of 2023, receiving the award for the fourth consecutive time.

● “Nikol Pashinyan attended the summit of the heads of the EAEU countries in St. Petersburg because, unlike the CSTO, Yerevan considers this organization effective,” stated the head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

● Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed that “difficulties in relations between Russia and Armenia are temporary and will be resolved if there is a will.”

● Criminal prosecution of former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, accused of receiving a $3 million bribe from a local businesswoman, has been discontinued.

● The commission for regulating public services concluded that electricity tariffs in Armenia will not change.

● Head of the Ministry of Defense Suren Papikyan met with Narek Poghosyan, seriously wounded on September 1 in Sotk, and presented him with the medal “For Courage.” Despite initially being listed as one of four dead in September, Poghosyan was later revived and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

● The Iranian Foreign Minister visited Yerevan. Discussions with Nikol Pashinyan focused on trade and economic ties, unblocking regional communications, and the “Crossroads of the World” transit project.

● Early this morning, an additional 25 families (80 people) of internally displaced persons permanently relocated to the city of Lachin, bringing the total city residents to 1,555 people (408 families).

● Paris declared two Azerbaijani diplomats persona non grata in response to actions by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. Previously, Baku had ordered two French diplomats to leave Azerbaijan within 48 hours.

● Putin’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, referred to the meeting between Aliyev and Pashinyan in St. Petersburg as “a brief contact on legs.” He clarified that no negotiations took place.

● The renowned “House of Tea” in Agdam (pictured) will be rebuilt in the same location, in the central park, according to Deputy Representative of the President of Azerbaijan in Karabakh, Bashir Hajiyev.

● Goods imported as humanitarian aid will be exempt from customs duties, effective January 1.

● The Ministry of Health states that there is no data on the appearance of JN1, a new strain of COVID-19 rapidly spreading in the United States, in Azerbaijan.

● “The agreement transferring a so called state dacha to Russia in Pitsunda, Abkhazia, is disturbing and in violation of the Constitution of Georgia,” stated Ombudsman Levan Ioseliani. He labeled it as “another attempt by Russia to appropriate Georgian state property.” More details on the state dacha transfer and the opposition protest can be found here

● Grigory Karasin, head of the international committee of the Russian Federation Council, alleges that the protest in Abkhazia over the Pitsunda state dacha transfer to Russia is “artificially encouraged from the outside.” Karasin emphasizes that “Russia should treat this situation calmly, focusing on the intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia and Abkhazia.”

● In Abkhazia, a protest petition with hundreds of signatures has been sent to the authorities against the transfer of the state dacha in Pitsunda to Russia. The letter states, “Abkhazia has lost jurisdiction over part of the territory.”

● “Today, the Tbilisi City Council, controlled by the ruling party, plans to approve a project for the construction of two 50-story skyscrapers on Heroes Square. This is real urban genocide, rooted in corruption in government institutions,” warns Saba Buadze, chairman of the Tbilisi branch of the opposition party “Lelo,” on Facebook.

● The Association of Young Lawyers reported that the Tbilisi Court of Appeal has reversed its previous decisions, which had favored the victims of the violent dispersal during the mass protests on June 20-21, 2019. Initially, the court rejected the appeal of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, ordering it to pay moral damages of 50,000 lari (approximately $30,000) to the victims. Giorgi Sulashvili, who lost an eye after being hit by a rubber bullet, is entitled to receive a monthly payment of 780 lari (approximately $350) from the ministry. More details about these events can be found here

● Bloomberg reports the record income of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, considered the shadow ruler of Georgia. The oligarch’s property is now valued at $6.55 billion.

● The Ministry of Defense confirmed the death of a serviceman in the Vazisubani district of Tbilisi. The deceased had gunshot wounds and died on the spot.

● Georgian climber Vano Imnaishvili, an employee of the IDFI Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information, died while climbing the Gergeti glacier on the Caucasus ridge.

Photo: Tbilisi JAMnews/David Pipia

● “2024 will be another decisive year for Georgia with parliamentary elections. We aim to help the country accelerate economic reforms and have already mobilized 1.8 billion euros,” stated European Commissioner for EU Enlargement Oliver Varhely at the annual conference of Georgian ambassadors in Tbilisi.

● Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, at the same conference, claimed, “Georgia ranks among the top ten globally in democratization development, a merit he attributes to Bidzina Ivanishvili,” considered the shadow ruler of Georgia.

● The presidential administration expressed outrage over President Salome Zurabishvili’s exclusion from the conference of Georgian ambassadors. Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili clarified that the meeting focused on government and executive branch work, excluding the president’s participation.

● Mikheil Saakashvili revealed his efforts for Georgia’s EU candidate status, stating, “I fought hard, publishing articles in leading European press and writing letters to influential European politicians.”

●  In Abkhazia, a mass protest near the parliament addresses the ratification of the agreement transferring ownership of the Pitsunda state dacha to Russia. The opposition seeks to prevent ratification, even considering the overthrow of the president. Read more here

● A 15-year-old girl giving birth in Khashuri raises emergency concerns in Georgia, reported by the Formula TV channel.

● Akhaltsikhe Mayor’s Office faces backlash for including performer Kabu in its New Year’s concert despite his recent arrest for violence and drug possession. Many suspect political favoritism due to his support for the ruling party.

Photo: Mikheil Saakashvili

● Aliyev and Pashinyan engaged in discussions on matters related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace agenda during the informal CIS summit in Russia’s St. Petersburg, as reported by the spokesperson for the Armenian PM.

● The informal CIS summit in St. Petersburg has served as a platform for Azerbaijan and Armenia to engage in dialogue for the final settlement of the conflict, said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Putin.

● Yet another journalist, former Channel 13 employee Shamo Emin, has been detained in Baku. Like the others, he is facing charges of “smuggling”. This arrest is presumed to be linked to the case of Aziz Orujev, director of the online publication, who was arrested on November 25.

● The French Ambassador to Baku was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and handed a note. Two French diplomats were declared persona non grata, with the Azerbaijani side citing actions inconsistent with their diplomatic status and contrary to the Vienna Convention of 1961. They were required to leave Azerbaijan within 48 hours.

● A postage stamp, “Heydar Aliyev 100,” was presented in Tbilisi, issued on the initiative of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia to commemorate the centenary of Heydar Aliyev.

● Azerbaijan has been declared a malaria-free country by the World Health Organization.

● New Year trains have commenced operations in the Baku subway.

● Leaders of CIS countries gathered for an informal New Year’s Eve meeting in St. Petersburg. Notably, this marked the first meeting between the heads of Armenia and Azerbaijan since the September events in Karabakh. The two are said to have discussed “issues pertaining to the peace agenda”.

● The speaker of the Armenian parliament, Alen Simonyan, supports Pashinyan’s decision to attend the informal summit of EAEU leaders. He emphasized the importance of Armenia’s chairmanship in the EAEU, given “the shared economic union with Russia and significant growth in the Armenian economy”.

● The Surb Sargis Armenian Church in the Crimea’s city of Feodosia, where the renowned Russian-Armenian painter Aivazovsky is buried, suffered damage during an attack by the Ukrainian army. The shock wave caused several stained glass window panes to be knocked out. Built in 1330, it is the oldest Armenian temple in Feodosia.

● Yerevan City Hall has approved a significant price increase for “red lines.” The annual parking fee in the city center will now be 160 thousand drams (about $400), marking a 13-fold increase from the current rate.

● Yerevan has received another set of peace treaty proposals from Baku, as stated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

● Nikol Pashinyan did, after all, fly to St. Petersburg and took part in the meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), signing the Declaration for the union’s development until 2030 and 2045. Pashinyan emphasized Armenia’s perception of the EAEU as an economic association without a geopolitical agenda. Armenia assumes the EAEU chairmanship from January 1.

● NATO Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Javier Colomina, commented that Armenia has distanced itself from Moscow in its foreign policy, a move welcomed by NATO.

● Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahe Gevorgyan stated that Baku is obstructing the deployment of an independent UNESCO mission in Nagorno-Karabakh.

● Azerbaijani airlines paid Armenia 90 thousand euros for flights to Nakhichevan in 2023, according to the Civil Aviation Committee.

Putin and Pashinyan met in St. Petersburg after several months of anticipation. The meeting took place in St. Petersburg during a session of the Eurasian Economic Council. Previously, the Armenian prime minister and officials had openly avoided any visits to Russia. Consequently,… pic.twitter.com/weBFbxHM5J

— JAMnews (@JAMnewsCaucasus) December 25, 2023

● 2024 in Azerbaijan has been declared the “Year of Solidarity for the Green World.” The COP29 session is scheduled to be held in Baku in November 2024 with the participation of about 80 thousand guests from around the world.

● Today, Ilham Aliyev will go to St. Petersburg for an informal meeting of leaders of the CIS countries. Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov commented that there are no plans for separate bilateral meetings, but everyone will be able to communicate on the sidelines.

● Pope Francis expressed prayers for Baku and Yerevan to move closer to a stable world, especially through the implementation of humanitarian programs.

● Human bones were discovered in Hajigabul, believed to belong to one of the victims of the events of March 31, 1918, officially called the Azerbaijani Genocide. Read more here

● In Baku, the court reviewed an appeal against the sentence of Vagif Khachaturyan, a Karabakh resident detained on the Armenia border. The first court hearing is set for January 7, as reported by lawyer Radmila Abilova. Khachaturyan received a 15-year prison sentence for crimes during the first Karabakh war, including an attack on the Khojaly village of Meshali.

● Azerbaijan supplied the third batch of chicken eggs to Russia, totaling 306 thousand pieces.

● A vaccine against measles has been delivered to Azerbaijan for the population aged 11-40 years, the Ministry of Health reported.

● Aghdam “Qarabag” intends to play one more match in Khankendi this season, specifically the return match of the 1/4 finals of the Azerbaijan Football Cup against Sabah Baku.

● “What happens in the zone of (Russian) occupation is beyond our control,” said Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili during a briefing, responding to NATO’s statement that it would take action if attacked from a Russian-declared naval base in Ochamchira, Abkhazia.

● In 2023, Georgia witnessed over 45 cases of public violence, harassment, and intimidation against media representatives, according to a study by Transparency International – Georgia.

● Three more members have left the United National Movement, including city council members in Chokhatauri. During a briefing, they expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s new leadership and announced their move to the team of its former chairman, Niki Melia. This development highlights the internal split within the party created by Mikheil Saakashvili, who is considered the leader of the opposition. Read more here

● A hall showcasing Christian treasures has opened at the National Museum, dedicated to the 46th anniversary of the Patriarch’s enthronement and the 90th anniversary of his birth.

● The President of Georgia pardoned 8 convicts.

● The fine for polluting the Black Sea is increasing from 65,000 lari to 100,000 lari (approximately $40 thousand), announced Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Otar Shamugia. The focus is on foreign-flagged ships dumping garbage and technical waste in Georgian waters.

● Due to the danger of avalanches and heavy snowfall, the Kutaisi-Tkibuli-Ambrolauri internal road section (Nakerala pass) is completely blocked.

● Araz Aliyev, an activist and one of the organizers of the “Third Republic” movement, has been sentenced to 25 days of administrative arrest. He went missing late on Saturday, and despite his lawyer’s appeals to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, no information was obtained. Following a solo protest by his wife in front of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Sunday, details about his arrest surfaced. The reasons for the arrest have not been reported.

● This morning, another group of internally displaced persons consisting of 27 families (95 people) departed from Baku to the village of Zabukh in the Lachin district for permanent residence. The village has already accommodated a total of 203 families (783 people).

● A meeting between representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia is anticipated next year. Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, in an interview with AzTV, stated that Baku approaches this issue with a realistic and optimistic outlook.

● President Ilham Aliyev celebrated his 62nd birthday. The presidents of Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and several other countries conveyed their congratulations through phone calls and telegrams.

● President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva visited the Agdam region. They participated in the opening ceremonies of the Agdam junction substation and the Khachinchay reservoir, as well as the groundbreaking ceremony for the central park. Additionally, the opening of the fourth and fifth residential complexes and the Barda-Agdam highway took place.

● The stormy wind that swept through the western regions of Azerbaijan caused the collapse of the floodlight at the stadium in Tovuz during a national football championship match, leading to the interruption of the game.

● Yerevan has not yet responded to whether it will sign the final documents of the CSTO, which were brought by the organization’s Secretary-General. A package of documents was adopted in Minsk during the organization’s November summit, and there is no Armenian signature on them as the Armenian delegation was absent from the meeting.

● The top award in the annual government accolade, “Hero of Our Time,” was conferred upon Sevada Khojabagyan, a mathematician and founder of a school in Goris. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (pictured) presented the award.

● Rescuers successfully freed 86 cars stranded on Armenian highways due to snow, provided assistance to 163 citizens, and relocated 30 people to safety.

● Doctors achieved the revival of Narek Poghosyan, previously listed among the deceased military personnel. Currently undergoing treatment at the Soldier’s House rehabilitation center, the soldier has regained his coordination and memory. He sustained serious injuries during the military events on September 1, as reported by the Ministry of Defense.

● Photos and videos depicting the appalling condition of a stray dog, subjected to the detonation of a firecracker placed in its mouth, have circulated widely across all social networks. Activists transported the injured dog from Tskaltubo, where the incident occurred, to a clinic in Tbilisi. The initiation of a donation campaign is underway, and a case has been opened under Article 259 of the Criminal Code, addressing torture or cruelty to animals.

● The Abkhaz publication “Nuzhnaya Gazeta” reports that Kristina Ozgan, the Minister of Economy in Abkhazia, visited the territory controlled by Tbilisi in the conflict zone. In Zugdidi, she met with representatives of the Inguri Hydroelectric Power Station and the Georgian authorities, requesting electricity supplies from Georgia. There has been no official confirmation of this information from either the Abkhazian or Georgian sides.

● Hurricane winds wreaked havoc in Batumi, causing severe damage such as the tearing off of roofs from multi-storey buildings, including the university. Additionally, power line supports were knocked down, and the coverings of bus stops were destroyed.

● The Verkhniy Lars border checkpoint on the border with Russia has been closed for the second day due to the risk of avalanches. Hundreds of trailers are stranded on both sides of the highway.

● A blizzard and heavy snowfall have led to the complete suspension of traffic on the Akhaltsikhe-Ninotsminda highway section in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, just before the border with Armenia.

● According to Polish police, a 43-year-old Georgian citizen was arrested for stealing $7,000 and attempting to bribe the police during the arrest. The individual took advantage of a driver’s carelessness following a traffic incident in front of the city hall in Warsaw. The head of the city center for combating property crime apprehended the thief red-handed.

📷 The photograph displays a dog that likely had pyrotechnics detonated in its mouth, shared on the Facebook page of activist Misha Kachkachishvili, who transported the dog to a clinic in Tbilisi:

Media monitoring in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, 18-22 December, 2023