Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

● The ruling party, which secured nearly 54% of the vote, has scheduled the new parliament’s first session for 12 p.m. today. Since the evening of November 24, a mass protest has been ongoing outside the parliament building. All four opposition parties that entered parliament have rejected the October 26 election results as fraudulent and are demanding new elections. Protesters have set up tents, with some spending the night on-site. Others are returning this morning. Freedom Square nearby is filled with police officers, special equipment, and water cannons recently acquired by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

● President Salome Zourabichvili posted on X: “Tomorrow’s meeting of the Parliament is unconstitutional: 1/massive electoral fraud has undermined its legitimacy. 2/ I refused to called the 1st session and the Constitution does not recognize anyone to act as substitute. 3/my appeal to the Constitutional court is pending.”

● A yellow security level has been declared in parliament today. Only invited guests and accredited journalists—limited to two crews per outlet—will be allowed to attend. The parliamentary press office stated that these measures are in place to ensure a safe and productive environment.

● Students from Tbilisi State University and Ilia University have announced plans to join the protest in front of parliament this morning. “The fate of our country is at stake. The choice is ours: accept stolen elections and abandon our European future, or fight to protect every vote and win. Students will not adapt to russification, censorship, or suppression of freedom. Georgia will prevail,” their statement reads.

● Stephen Nix, Eurasia Director at the International Republican Institute (IRI), told Voice of America: “The people of Georgia can count on the support of any U.S. administration in their European aspirations, regardless of who holds power in Washington.”

● Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley expressed concern: “I am alarmed by how authorities in Georgia and other Eastern European countries are adopting Kremlin-style tactics to undermine free elections. These are Russian dirty methods—bribery, extortion, corruption.”

● Hundreds of participants in a women’s march on Sunday piled a mountain of suitcases outside the residence of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling “Georgian Dream” party, in Tbilisi. The march’s slogan was: “You leave, we’ll stay!” Protesters accused the ruling party, founded and controlled by the oligarch, of driving the country into mass emigration. “Let him pack his bags and go back to Russia!” they chanted.

Photo by David Pipia/JAMnews. Protest outside the Georgian Parliament, early morning of November 25.

● The COP29 international climate change conference concluded in Baku, with wealthier nations pledging a record $300 billion in funding to assist poorer countries in combating climate change.

● U.S. President Joe Biden thanked Azerbaijan for successfully hosting COP29. “While significant work remains to meet our climate goals, today’s progress is a crucial step in the right direction,” his statement read.

● The first freight train carrying export goods departed Baku for China, marking the launch of the “Baku-Xi’an” route. The train, consisting of 62 forty-foot containers, will travel via Kazakhstan to Xi’an. By year’s end, the route is expected to transport 15,000 tons or 600 containers of export goods.

● In Baku, a taxi driver was detained for overcharging a COP29 delegate. The ride from the airport to the city center cost the delegate from Burundi 139 manats ($82), far exceeding the usual price of 15 manats ($9). Authorities swiftly responded to her complaint, and the excess fare was refunded.

● The Armenian delegation has been participating in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s autumn session since November 22.

● Armenia faces widespread backlash over Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s remarks comparing Azerbaijan’s use of “Western Azerbaijan” (referring to Armenian territories) with Armenia’s term “Western Armenia” (referring to territories in modern Turkey). Opposition MP Lilit Galstyan called this “historiographical bankruptcy and political suicide,” while Hayk Mamijanyan accused the prime minister of echoing Azerbaijan’s narrative.

● Russian Ambassador Sergey Kopyrkin stated in an interview with Izvestia that there are “no viable alternatives” to Russian-Armenian allied cooperation, including within the CSTO framework.

● Yerevan hosted the “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World,” offering residents and visitors a chance to sample Italian dishes and attend masterclasses led by expert chefs.

● Armenia ranked 38th in the EF English Proficiency Index, improving from 47th last year. Georgia ranked 34th (up two places), while Azerbaijan fell to 86th (down four places).

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 18-22 November, 2024