Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from 15-19 April, 2024

●The traffic on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi came to a halt once again in the evening yesterday as hundreds of students gathered there for a spontaneous protest against the government’s foreign agents bill.

Earlier in the day, young demonstrators had protested outside the government administration, demanding a meeting with Prime Minister. They said they were ready to give him a lecture on why they thought the bill was “Russian”. However, Irakli Kobakhidze never came out to meet with the protesters.

In Zugdidi, dozens marched to the city hall, while in Gori, a group of activists staged a demonstration with a placard declaring, “The city bombed by Russia will not accept a Russian law. Our choice is Europe.”

The next significant protest is expected to coincide with the bill’s second reading. Although the exact voting date remains unknown, the new parliamentary session will commence on April 30.

● Six Georgian opposition parties released a joint statement opposing the foreign agents draft law. “We, as democratic, pro-Western political parties of Georgia, recognize the importance of unified efforts in this struggle. We declare full coordination and mobilization leading up to the law’s second reading, to collectively work with our people to safeguard our country’s European future. The people of Georgia have been, are, and will remain the primary guarantor of our country’s European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and any attempt to challenge this choice is destined to fail,” the statement affirmed.

The statement was endorsed by “Akhali,” “United National Movement,” “Girchi – More Freedom,” “Droa,” “United National Movement,” “Lelo – For Georgia,” and “Agmashenebeli Strategy.”

●”Women Choose Europe!” – a women’s march against the foreign agents draft law is scheduled for April 20.

● The Georgian Parliament is expeditiously passing amendments to the Tax Code, to exempt the transfer of assets from offshore to Georgia from taxation until 2028. Opposition MPs argue that this is “[informal Georgia leader] Bidzina Ivanishvili trying to shield his assets from Western sanctions”. “Now, there’s a huge risk that the entire illicit wealth of Russian oligarchs could flow into Georgia,” political analysts say.

● The U.S. State Department issued a new (the ninth!) statement on the foreign agents law. “We urge Georgia not to enact Kremlin-inspired “foreign influence” draft legislation. If passed, the law could negatively impact Georgia’s EU path, limit freedom of expression, and stigmatize organizations and media outlets. We urge all to protect the right of peaceful assembly”, said @StateDept’s Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

● Ukraine’s foreign ministry expressed outrage at Georgian PM’s statement that the Georgian government’s foreign influence bill “aims to protect Georgia from Ukrainization.” “Using our country’s name in such a derogatory manner undermines Georgian-Ukrainian relations. Russification, not some fictional ‘Ukrainization,’ poses a tangible threat to Georgia,” the ministry said.

● Imran Aliev, a journalist and the leader of independent media outlet Meclis.info, was detained at Baku airport. He revealed this himself in a video shared on social media after his detention. Aliev explained that he saw his name mentioned in an article in the pro-government media Qafqazinfo, alongside the detained staff of the independent outlet Abzas Media. This prompted him to decide to temporarily leave the country and he purchased a ticket to Istanbul. As of now, there have been no official statements regarding Imran Aliev’s detention.

● Double taxation of incomes between Azerbaijan and Turkey will be abolished. The relevant document will be brought up for discussion in the Milli Majlis in the near future.

●  “France intends to continue colonialism in the South Caucasus”: Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament. “Azerbaijani parliamentarians strongly condemn France’s duplicitous policy and are making efforts to expose its neo-colonialist agenda,” stated Sahiba Gafarova during a meeting with a delegation from New Caledonia’s Congress.

●  Azerbaijani artist Margarita Kerimova-Sokolova has been awarded the prestigious international Leonardo da Vinci Art Prize in Milan. Her painting “Feeling and Reason” has been included in the international catalog of prize organizers.

● The French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is currently in Yerevan, meeting with Nikol Pashinyan to discuss the normalization process between Yerevan and Baku, regional dynamics, humanitarian issues for Karabakh Armenians, and Armenian-French relations.

● Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova: “The Armenian population of Karabakh must have the opportunity to return safely”.

●  Armenia has revised the list of diseases that render citizens unfit for military service. In some cases, individuals will now be deemed partially fit, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said during a government session. These decisions may apply in cases involving cysts, as well as non-severe urological and neurological conditions.

●  Armenia’s official pavilion has opened at the 60th Venice International Art Biennale. The pavilion features the multimedia project “Reaction” by French-Armenian artist Nina Kchikyan.

● 13 kg of heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana were confiscated during a search of a vehicle in Syunik. A man and a woman were detained on April 15 on suspicion of drug trafficking, according to the Investigative Committee.

● “The top leadership of Azerbaijan and Russia has agreed on the early withdrawal of Russian peacekeepers from Azerbaijani territory. The process has already commenced. The Ministries of Defense of the Russian Federation and Azerbaijan are taking measures to implement the presidents’ decisions,” stated Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the president. Read more here

● “The steps and official statements of Baku towards Paris have consistently been in response to the destructive activities of France. Despite the slanderous campaign against our country, we have always kept the doors of dialogue open,” commented the Foreign Ministry on the recall of the French Ambassador to Baku for consultations.

● Azerbaijan plans to expand the use of electric vehicles. Issues regarding the growth of the network of relevant charging stations and the creation of necessary infrastructure were discussed at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting.

● Parliament discussed the abolition of the visa regime between Azerbaijan and Albania. On March 1, the governments of both countries signed an agreement “On the mutual abolition of visa requirements for persons holding general passports.”

● Azerbaijan aims to attract investors to create artificial land plots in the Caspian Sea, according to the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.

● The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia in the first quarter of the year totaled $890.733 million. This marks a 15.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2023, as reported by the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

● Salmonella was discovered in chicken fillet imported from Russia to Azerbaijan. 19.2 tons of the frozen product produced by Stavropol Broiler were destroyed.

● “Starting next week, representatives of Tavush communities in the border zone with Azerbaijan will participate in a working group on delimitation and demarcation issues,” stated Nikol Pashinyan during a meeting with residents of Kirants village, Tavush region. He emphasized that the proximity of Azerbaijan should not cause alarm among villagers. “Our goal is for you to see Azerbaijan as 50 meters away not with alarm, but as an opportunity for trade and agriculture. We may establish a checkpoint for passing cars, which Armenia will finance.”

● Samvel Vardanyan, accused in a hooliganism case, was placed under house arrest and required to pay bail of 7 million drams (nearly $18 thousand), as announced by lawyer Ruben Melikyan on social media. Vardanyan was detained after an altercation with a deputy from the ruling party on a bus.

● Yulia Gasparyan, daughter of former Armenian police chief Vladimir Gasparyan, was stripped of her rank as lieutenant colonel. She had previously faced a criminal case, admitted guilt during the preliminary investigation, and reimbursed the state for damages, paying almost 9 million drams (over $22 thousand). Last fall, the court halted criminal prosecution against her under an amnesty.

● 31 training anti-tank mines were discovered at a garbage dump in Etchmiadzin. Some of the mines had to be destroyed, while the rest were deemed unusable. A criminal case has been initiated to investigate how the mines ended up in that area.

● Armenian customs officers intercepted the illegal import of 67 kg of medicines from Georgia.

● Yesterday witnessed large-scale protests involving around 100,000 people in Tbilisi and several thousand in Batumi, following the parliament’s adoption of the bill “On Foreign Influence” in the first reading, commonly referred to as the “law on foreign agents” or the “Russian law”. Read more here

● Writer Aka Morchiladze commented on the “law on foreign agents”: “We all know how terrible this Russia is, why the hell did [the ruling party] need this Russian law.”

● The leader of the opposition party “Citizens”, Aleko Elisashvili, was detained during a protest near parliament. Public defender Levan Ioseliani later reported that Elisashvili had been released and was feeling fine. “He will tell you the rest himself,” Ioseliani wrote on his Facebook page.

● The Center for Japanese Language and Culture, situated near the parliament, offered its office to protesters in case they needed refuge from potential attacks by riot police, water cannons, or gas/pepper spray.

● The Georgian Diplomats Club issued a statement opposing the “law on foreign agents.” “The government, subservient to [oligarch] Ivanishvili, is attempting to transform the country into a Russian province. We urge our fellow Georgian diplomats and the international community to support the Georgian people in their protest,” the statement said.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing where he accused Western leaders of criticizing the bill “On Foreign Influence” without grounds and named the German Chancellor and the NATO Secretary General among them. He also claimed that, thanks to the ruling party, Russian influence no longer exists in Georgia and that the adoption of the “foreign agents law” would not distance Georgia from the EU (despite all EU leaders stating otherwise, including High Representative Josep Borrell and President of the European Council Charles Michel).

Tbilisi now! People against government’s foreign agents bill pic.twitter.com/uhwaEcqbqY

— JAMnews (@JAMnewsCaucasus) April 17, 2024

● Today, the parliament will continue considering the draft law “On Foreign Influence,” dubbed the “Russian law on foreign agents,” which began yesterday. Protest outside the parliament building will resume at 12 noon.

● Yesterday, tens of thousands of people gathered on Rustaveli Avenue throughout the day, demanding the withdrawal of this law draft. At night, there was dispersal using water cannons and gas, resulting in dozens detained and many beaten. Videos circulating on social media show riot police chasing, knocking down, and physically assaulting people.

● Journalist Giorgi Baskhajauri from the online publication “April Media” was assaulted by special forces during yesterday’s protest, and he was subjected to insults, including being called a “pederast.”

● Alexander Keshelashvili, a journalist for the Publica publication, was also attacked by special forces and struck in the face.

● US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed concern about Georgia’s intention to adopt a “foreign agents” law.

● President of the European Council Charles Michel warned the Georgian leadership about the consequences of adopting the law on foreign agents, stating that it contradicts Georgia’s path to joining the European Union and will distance the country from this prospect.

● Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty urged the Georgian parliament to halt consideration of the “foreign agents” law.

● President Salome Zurabishvili denounced the authorities’ intention to adopt a law on foreign agents as part of Russia’s strategy to destabilize Georgia. She appealed to President Charles Michel and President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the events in Georgia at the next session of the European Council.

● Gigi Sopromadze, the executive secretary of the Council for People with Disabilities under Tbilisi City Hall, stated on Facebook that adopting this law in its current form is a hostile act toward Georgia.

Photo: JAMnews/David Pipia

● “Israel is one of the main sources of instability in the South Caucasus. Armenian soldiers in Nagorno-Karabakh were killed with Israeli weapons,” stated the Iranian Ambassador to Armenia.

● “The CSTO would like Armenia to clarify its plans for further work in the organization; this will be beneficial in planning matters,” remarked the CSTO Secretary General.

● “In Azerbaijan, children are taught to kill Armenians,” asserted the Armenian representative on international legal issues.

● Searches were conducted at the Ministry of Health as part of a criminal investigation into crimes against the state, constitutional order, and public safety. The Ministry’s head informed reporters that she learned about the searches from media reports since she was in the government building at the time.

● The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia initiated an official investigation following a complaint about the assault on Samvel Vardanyan, accused of insulting a deputy from the ruling Civil Contract party, Hakob Aslanyan.

● Opposition parliamentary factions “Armenia” and “I Have the Honor” urged the Council of Europe to condemn the government’s policies. Their joint statement asserts that “political reprisals against opponents have become the hallmark of the authorities.”

● An orchestra performed on Northern Avenue in central Yerevan yesterday to celebrate Police Officer Day (pictured).

● Local media report that the Russian peacekeeping contingent has departed from Azerbaijan. A video circulating on social media shows a convoy of Russian equipment passing through the Terter and Barda regions. While news surfaced yesterday of Russian peacekeepers leaving the Khudaveng monastery in the Kelbajar region, Azerbaijani police are now guarding it. Official confirmation of the RMK withdrawal from Azerbaijan is pending.

● Paris recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan for consultations, citing actions by Baku that are harmful to bilateral relations, according to the French Foreign Ministry.

● Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic sought Baku’s support against unspecified pressures on his country during a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, as reported by the presidential administration.

● President Ilham Aliyev announced plans for the Shirvan irrigation canal’s operation, which will subsequently fill Lake Hajigabul, benefiting 230 thousand hectares of cultivated area. He highlighted the positive impact on nature, particularly the rejuvenation of Lake Gadjigabul, which has been dry for over a decade.

● Russia extradited several Azerbaijanis wanted internationally to Baku, including Nihad Salimli for health-related offenses and Shovkatbey Mustafayev, Ilkin Rustamov, and Rovshan Amirkhanly for property-related crimes, as announced by the prosecutor’s office.

● BP initiated oil production from the new Central East Azeri platform in the Caspian Sea’s Azerbaijani sector. The platform, seventh in the series, is situated on the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field block, with plans to drill and activate two additional production wells within a year, targeting a daily oil production of 24 thousand barrels.

● Baku will see the construction of a 240 MW wind power plant, with the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers allocating land plots for renewable energy sources.

● “Azerbaijan has returned all detained servicemen to Armenia, except those who have committed serious crimes such as murder, torture, terrorism, and separatism,” Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov said during a hearing at the International Court of Justice.

The court began hearings on Azerbaijan’s preliminary objections to Armenia’s lawsuit, which accused Baku of violating the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

● The President of Uzbekistan met with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in Tashkent. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Jeyhun Bayramov discussed prospects for expanding strategic partnership and multi-dimensional cooperation. The parties also reviewed the schedule of upcoming high-level meetings and events.

● The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) will convene at the Baku Olympic Stadium from November 11 to 25, marking the first time this conference will be held in the post-Soviet space.

●  Former representatives of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic who were detained in Azerbaijan have been allowed to communicate with their families. The communication took place as part of meetings with representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

● Victims of domestic violence in Azerbaijan will receive legal assistance at the state’s expense. President Aliyev approved changes to the law “On Prevention of Domestic Violence.”

● It is now possible to dissolve a marriage based on a court decision at Azerbaijani diplomatic missions abroad. The cost of this service is $15.

● A monument to the Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov has been installed in Baku. It will be unveiled on April 24, with the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, attending the ceremony.

● The parliament’s legal committee of Georgia has endorsed the government-initiated draft law “On Transparency of Foreign Influence.” Today, it will be considered in its first reading during the plenary session of the parliament. Despite warnings from the EU and mass protests, the ruling Georgian Dream party has stated that they will not backtrack on passing the bill.

● Thousands of people protested against the foreign agents law on April 15. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, at least 14 participants of the rally were detained, and one police officer was reportedly injured. The protests will resume today at 11:00.

●The U.S. State Department has issued a new statement regarding the draft law:

“If this draft law is passed, it will harm civil society organizations working to improve the lives of Georgian citizens and lead Georgia away from the European path. We are also concerned that this draft law will hinder independent media organizations from providing high-quality information to the citizens of Georgia. We continue to share our concerns publicly and in private conversations.”

● U.S., UK, and EU diplomats met with the Georgian Prime Minister just as people were  protesting outside the parliament. On the previous day, Irakli Kobakhidze had invited ambassadors to debate publicly on the foreign agents bill, accusing some foreign diplomats of meddling in the work of the Georgian parliament and calling their criticism of the document “groundless”.

● Russian propagandist Alexander Dugin, often referred to as “Putin’s ideologist,” commented on the protests:

“Georgia needs a Stalin. Otherwise, the globalist scum and the disgrace of the Georgian people will destroy this beautiful country.” He praised the Georgian authorities for reintroducing the bill, saying they are “on the right path.”

●  “It is imperative to identify and document the names of all victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire,” stated Andranik Kocharyan, a member of Armenia’s ruling faction.
He emphasized the need for a comprehensive list, suggesting that the actual number of victims may differ from the commonly believed figure of 1.5 million.

●  The UK has initiated negotiations with Armenia and three other countries to accept deportees from the kingdom under a scheme similar to Rwanda’s, according to The Times.
In response, Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Armenia and the UK maintain a comprehensive political dialogue agenda. However, the ministry clarified that there have been no substantive or technical negotiations specifically related to the issue raised in the publication.

●   The President of Kazakhstan arrived in Yerevan yesterday, where a series of bilateral documents were signed. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described Armenia as a reliable partner in the South Caucasus and presented the Armenian repository of manuscripts “Matenadaran” with a bronze statue titled “House of Aeronautics” by renowned sculptor Eduard Kazaryan.

●   A citizen insulted a parliamentarian from the ruling party, Akop Aslanyan, on public transport, leading to his own subsequent detention. The man called the MP “anti-Armenian scum,” sparking a physical altercation on the bus.

●   More than 40 aspiring women entrepreneurs from Armenia are set to receive 1 million drams (approximately $2,500) each as part of the “My Step” foundation project.

The funds were raised during a recent charity dinner attended by the Prime Minister’s wife, Anna Akopyan, and 42 Armenian female entrepreneurs. According to Akopyan, this initiative aims to establish a “new culture of philanthropy” within the country.

●   Armenia is contemplating the appointment of an attaché in Silicon Valley. While a decision has not yet been reached, the Ministry of High-Tech Industry believes that an attaché could facilitate the adoption of advanced practices in the IT sector and attract new investors to Armenia.

●   “Baku is deeply concerned about the escalating tension between Iran and Israel,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry stated, urging both sides to “exercise restraint and avoid dangerous escalation that could further destabilize the situation in the Middle East.”

●  Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov has traveled to Uzbekistan to participate as a guest of honor in the second meeting of foreign ministers from Central Asia and Arab countries of the Persian Gulf.

●  During his visit to Jordan, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov held a meeting with King Abdullah II ibn Hussein of Jordan.

●  Remittances from Georgia to Azerbaijan increased by 30%. In 2023, individuals transferred $37.5 million, as reported by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.

●  Azerbaijan’s women’s 3×3 basketball team secured a spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, marking the first time Azerbaijan will be represented in team sports at the Olympic Games.

●  The first reading of the government’s controversial “foreign agents bill” is commencing in the parliament’s legal affairs committee today. Concurrently, a protest rally against the bill will take place in front of the parliament building, with students from Ilia State University and Tbilisi State University planning to march.

Another rally with the slogan “Yes to Europe, no to Russian law!” has been scheduled for the evening.

● Only accredited correspondents from TV channels will have access to cover the parliamentary discussions today. Online and print media journalists will not be permitted inside the building. Speaker Shalva Papuashvili made this decision to “ensure a safe and productive environment” during the sittings, as explained by the parliament.

●  The Georgian Prime Minister accused foreign diplomats of interfering in the work of Parliament and criticized their “groundless” criticism of bill “On Transparency of Foreign Influence,” inviting them to engage in a public discussion on the document.

● “No to the Russian law! No to the traitorous government!” – Over 50 Georgian winemakers have signed a statement condemning the government-initiated bill and calling for its resignation.

● Among the victims of the armed attack in a shopping center in Sydney is 50-year-old Georgian citizen Pikria Darchia, as reported by the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

● Residents of the border village of Voskepar (Tavush region) held a rally against “unilateral concessions” to Azerbaijan. “The border with Azerbaijan should pass not through the villagers’ yards, but where the contact line between the armed forces of the two countries is,” the protesters said.

● The Armenian Foreign Ministry responded to the events in Israel and called for dialogue, stating, “The escalation of tensions in the Middle East is a matter of serious concern. It is necessary to avoid further confrontation.”

● The Armenian Defense Ministry will launch an official investigation into allegations that military personnel often have to purchase spare parts for army vehicles with their own funds.

This follows remarks made by the mother of a soldier injured in a January traffic accident in Syunik. The ministry responded that the costs of repair, maintenance of the army vehicles are borne solely by the Defense Ministry.

● Over 60% of women were unable to qualify for the Armenian Patrol Police in 2023 due to specific weight and height criteria mandated by law, reports the Ombudsman’s Office.

● Armenian police have detained some individuals involved in a recent robbery where 36 kilograms of gold and over 290 million rubles were stolen. The stolen gold bars and a portion of the stolen amount were found in the Mercedes Vito minivan used by the suspects.

● President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan is visiting Armenia today. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Vaagn Khachatryan.