Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 14-18 October 4, 2024

●  The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has issued a critical declaration on Georgia. The declaration expresses “deep concern over clear signs of democratic backsliding and the weakening of human rights in Georgia, marked by increased polarisation of society and the enactment of legislation that runs counter to Council of Europe standards”. It urges Georgia “to return to the path of democratic consolidation and recommit to democratic principles”. Read more here

●  “This was a warning,” stated Grigol Liluashvili, head of Georgia’s State Security Service (SGB), regarding his agency’s earlier statement about the potential emergence of AI-generated fake video and audio recordings involving government officials before the elections. He warned that “appropriate measures” would be taken against anyone crossing the “red line” set by law.

●  Shortly after the SGB’s statement, the YouTube channel Cyber Kmara released an audio recording allegedly of informal Georgia ruler Bidzina Ivanishvili’s wife, Ekaterina Khvedelidze, arranging psychology courses with a Russian coach. Opposition channel TV Pirveli suggested that the SGB might have anticipated such a “leak”, hence their statement and warnings. The leaked phone call recording is nothing sensational, however it implies that the security services may be secretly monitoring all politicians, including the ruling party’s leadership. The SGB head claimed that his agency is being discredited, calling the recording part of an “election campaign” and a “staged show.”

●  The Central Election Commission is fully staffed with individuals affiliated with the ruling party, stated Natia Mezvrishvili, deputy chair of the opposition party “Gakharia for Georgia.” “We have evidence that the Central Election Commission is not an independent organization. The CEC at all levels – precinct, district commissions, not to mention its chairperson and members – is staffed with Georgian Dream party activists. It’s hard to imagine that people responsible for vote counting and managing queues would make decisions that do not align with the interests of the Central Commission. The extent of nepotism is astonishing,” she said.

●  The opposition “Coalition for Change” has presented key points of its election program, promising to:

• swiftly resume the EU accession process;

• repeal anti-democratic laws initiated by Georgian Dream;

• lower taxes for small businesses;

• align the education budget with the European average, etc.

According to the latest Edison Research poll commissioned by Formula TV, 19% of respondents are ready to vote for the coalition, while a pro-government “Imedi” poll shows 10.3% support.

●  On October 20th, alongside the “Georgia Chooses the European Union” march organized by NGOs in Tbilisi to demonstrate the widespread support for a change in government in the upcoming parliamentary elections, the city hall plans to hold a concert in one of the capital’s suburban areas to celebrate the opening of a new park. Citizens are promised an “unforgettable evening.”

“A park of this scale, covering 25 hectares, has been built for the first time in the history of independent Georgia and will soon become one of the main attractions of our city,” the city hall announcement states.

●  Today, Azerbaijan celebrates the Day of Restoration of State Independence.

On October 18, 1991, the Supreme Council adopted the Constitutional Act on the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan from the USSR. According to this document, Azerbaijan is the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which existed from May 28, 1918, to April 28, 1920. Despite the holiday status, it is a working day.

●  Today, a meeting of the “3+3” platform will be held in Istanbul. The platform includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia (which declined participation), as well as Iran, Russia, and Turkey. The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov departed for Turkey yesterday to attend the meeting.

● The Azerbaijani Embassy in the Lebanese capital Beirut has been evacuated for security reasons, AFP reported. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry denied this information: “Our embassy in Lebanon continues its activities, but the staff has been partially evacuated.”

●  In Azerbaijan, salary bonuses for healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 will continue to be paid until January 1.

●  Olympic champion Hidayat Heydarov maintains the lead in the rankings among judokas in all weight categories. The total number of points of the Azerbaijani athlete is 9004.

●  The Baku Jazz Festival ’24 has started in the capital of Azerbaijan. Jazz performers and musicians from various countries are participating. The festival will last until October 27.

●  The President of Turkey will receive diplomats arriving for the meeting of the “3+3” regional platform in Istanbul, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with Haber Global. Among the attendees is the Armenian Foreign Minister.

●   A police guard will be formed in Armenia by November 1, 2025, announced Deputy Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Arpine Sarkisyan.

●  The fee for obtaining Armenian citizenship will be raised to 50,000 drams ($125), and for renouncing it to 150,000 drams ($350), according to a government proposal. Currently, the fees are 1,000 and 25,000 drams respectively, rates set in 1997 and unchanged since. Minister of Internal Affairs Kazaryan clarified that residents of Karabakh will be exempt from these fees.

●   Wolves killed about 100 sheep and lambs in the Armenian village of Shatvan in Gegharkunik, causing over $20,000 in damage.

●  “Armenia, as a member of the International Criminal Court, must investigate the missile strikes on Ganja. On October 17, 2020, the second deadliest ballistic missile attack on Ganja was carried out. The killing of civilians by Armenia using a ballistic missile was not an accidental act or collateral damage, but a deliberate policy of terror and murder,” wrote Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, on his X page. The attack on Ganja resulted in 15 deaths.

●   “There remain serious obstacles on our path. This includes the Constitution of Armenia, which calls for the annexation of Karabakh to Armenia. We are also concerned about the intensive militarization of Armenia by France and other Western countries, which serves to revive revanchism. We consider the demand to release field commanders who committed heinous crimes against the Azerbaijani civilian population, calling them ‘prisoners of war,’ to be immoral,” stated Hikmet Hajiyev in his article published in Newsweek.

●   “Azerbaijan has provided all opportunities for the reintegration of Karabakh Armenians. We have repeatedly emphasized Baku’s constructive steps aimed at the return of the population. It is necessary to simply take advantage of this opportunity,” said Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

●   “Violation of fundamental human rights” is how the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs characterizes the detention in Paris of the famous “fighter against French colonialism” Kemi Seba and, earlier, Telegram founder Pavel Durov. “We believe that such arrests in France have political motives. This should be investigated by the relevant institutions of the European Union, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and an appropriate assessment should be made,” said officials in Baku.

●   Defense and national security expenditures in the draft state budget of Azerbaijan for the next year are estimated at about $5 billion. This is almost 18% more than the funds planned for these purposes in the 2024 state budget, according to the bill submitted to the Milli Majlis.

●   Azerbaijani doctors managed to save the life of an 11-year-old boy who fell from the 12th floor. After spending 10 days in a coma, the child regained consciousness. His condition is stable.

●   The Museum of History in Baku has presented a decree by Shah Ismail Khatai, the founder of the Safavid state, the largest state in history on the territory of Azerbaijan. The exhibit was purchased at the famous Christie’s auction in England by an Azerbaijani who wished to remain anonymous. The document was signed on July 4, 1508. Shah Ismail Khatai is also known as a poet, the author of poems in the Azerbaijani language.

●  “The Georgian Prime Minister doesn’t understand democracy. A critical opposition is the essence of a functioning democracy. Voters decide who becomes the opposition or the government. In a European democracy, parties aren’t banned but fought against politically”. This is Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael Roth commenting on PM Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement on “the necessity” of banning opposition parties. “Bringing these parties to justice is necessary to end the cycle of polarization and radicalism in Georgia. If the collective UNM [a term used by the ruling party to refer to the opposition] is not declared unconstitutional, which we plan to do after the elections, the problem of polarization will never be resolved,” said Kobakhidze had said earlier.

●  Former head of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) office in Georgia, Laura Thornton, also responded to Kobakhidze’s remarks. “Yes, political polarization indeed ends with autocracy when there is only one political party. For example, in North Korea, there is no polarization to worry about!!” she wrote on X.

● Members of the U.S. Helsinki Commission – Chairman Joe Wilson, Congressman Steve Cohen, Commissioners Rich Hudson, and Marc Veasey – issued a joint statement on the situation in Georgia. “Over the past several decades, the people of Georgia have demonstrated their commitment to democracy and the rule of law. The Georgian people deserve a government that respects their right to elect their own leaders democratically, and the Georgian government must honor their obligations to their country and citizens by holding free and fair elections, monitored by independent election observers, allowing for political opposition, as it has done for years. The government’s authoritarian trajectory imperils Georgia’s democratic future and its people’s deep-seated Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”

● “After the elections on October 26, there will be no state security service. We, the opposition parties, have agreed to abolish the service and the political police [after the election],” said Giorgi Vashadze, one of the leaders of the “Unity – National Movement” coalition in response to the SGB reports that “fake compromising materials” against the ruling party might be leaked in Georgia in the coming days. The SGB had warned that these “AI-fabricated recordings” would use the voices and video images of Georgian government officials. “The purpose of spreading false information is to provoke conflicts between branches of government, create tension between the government and the Orthodox Church, and worsen relations between the government and Western partners. The main goal is to artificially create protest sentiments and hotspots of destabilization,” said the SGB statement.

●  In 2025, the government will receive only 60 million lari (approximately USD 22 million) in grants from Western countries, the lowest figure in the past 20 years, reports “Transparency International – Georgia.” The organization has prepared a brief analysis of next year’s state budget draft presented to the parliament by the government. Compared to 2024, grants have decreased by 2.5 times.

●  The head of the Georgian Central Election Commission, Giorgi Kalandarishvili, has been placed under state protection.

The order was signed by the Prime Minister. The document states that the decision was made “due to certain conditions,” but the specifics are not disclosed. The ruling party regularly claims that “hostile radical forces are preparing provocations and destabilization” in Georgia ahead of the elections. Because of this, its honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili speaks at election rallies from an armored podium that is transported around the country.

● The Georgian Ministry of Justice summoned the President’s representative to the Interagency Commission, citing a violation of election rules by Salome Zourabichvili. The Ministry demands clarification regarding Zourabichvili’s statement that a “coordination center” would operate at the Orbeliani Palace, the presidential residence, on the election day, October 26. She also mentioned that there would be a “victory celebration” in this center after the elections.

●  Russia has requested Georgia and Azerbaijan to allow the import of electricity during emergency situations, Alexandra Panina, a board member of “Inter RAO” told Russian journalists. According to her, the company has not yet received responses from either country.

●    “The 3+3 Consultative Platform is an effective mechanism for coordinating regional efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in the South Caucasus and the Middle East,” stated Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry. She also mentioned that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the platform.

●    The Investigative Committee of Armenia has decided to detain former Gyumri Mayor Samvel Balasanyan, who is currently receiving medical treatment abroad, according to Armenian Public Television. Balasanyan is accused of the illegal sale of plots of land near the famous “Black Fortress” in Gyumri.

●    The iconic “Deer” statue, installed at the entrance to the resort town of Jermuk during Soviet times and long considered a symbol of the town, has been dismantled. The local administration promises to replace it with a new, more modern, and aesthetically pleasing version.

●    Armenian authorities have uncovered a fraudulent call center scheme that exploited citizens in foreign countries. The call center operated exclusively at night, making calls via various messaging apps, according to the press service of the Armenian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

●   Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with EU ambassadors accredited in Armenia, led by the head of the EU delegation, Ambassador Vassilis Maragos. Pashinyan highlighted the importance of multi-sectoral cooperation between Armenia and the EU and reiterated the government’s commitment to deepening and expanding these ties.

●   “Currently, more than 5,000 people reside in Khankendi,” stated Hamid Mekhtiev, Assistant Executive Director of the Service for Restoration, Construction, and Management in Khankendi.

●  The resettlement of residents in Aghdam, one of the regions returned to Azerbaijani control after the Second Karabakh War in 2020, will begin by the end of 2025. This was announced by Sabukhi Abdullayev, Deputy Executive Director of the Service for Restoration, Construction, and Management in Aghdam, Fizuli, and Khojavend.

● Russia has requested Azerbaijan and Georgia for the possibility of importing a total of 600 MW of electricity during emergency situations.

●  In Azerbaijan, 369 more apartments have been offered to citizens under the rent-to-own mechanism. The apartments, located in the village of Saray (Absheron District), are fully renovated. Monthly payments start from 448 manats (approximately $260).

●  The UK has suspended the annual “Wardrop Strategic Dialogue” with Georgia, including defense and cybersecurity talks. “We were disappointed when Georgian Dream leaders started spreading conspiracy theories and suggesting that Western partners are undermining Georgia. We were shocked when Georgian Dream listed the banning of opposition parties as one of their campaign promises,” explained Gareth Ward, the British Ambassador to Georgia.

●  “These statements are temporary, so we won’t pay them much attention. These elections will end, the war in Ukraine will end, and relations with the EU will be reset,” commented Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Josep Borrell’s remarks that the ruling party is “leading the country away from the European path and towards authoritarianism.” Earlier, the EU’s head of diplomacy urged patience until the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 26, noting they would be a “crucial test for Georgia’s democracy and its path to the European Union.”

●  U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller: “We want to see that there are free and fair elections in Georgia. And we’ll be closely monitoring in the days ahead.”

● The West is trying to influence the election campaign in Georgia, while Russia does not and will not interfere in the country’s internal affairs, stated Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary for the Russian president, as reported by TASS. “Georgia is our neighbor. You know all the complications in our bilateral relations, which nonetheless do not hinder the development of humanitarian ties between our societies. People continue to travel to and from Georgia and Russia,” added Peskov. Notably, on October 10, Russian president Putin expanded the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens.

●  The public movement “Unified Neutral Georgia,” a satellite of the ruling party, has called for not only the leaders of the opposition “National Movement” but also their supporters to be prosecuted. “We must clearly understand that every person who votes for the ‘Collective National Movement’ bears no less legal, political, and moral responsibility! Voting for criminals is a crime!” stated the movement.

●  The “imminent” reunification of Georgia was once again discussed by Georgian Dream leaders, now at a meeting with voters in Western Georgia. “A few kilometers from Zugdidi lies a dividing line that artificially separates us from our historical region, Abkhazia. This line artificially separates us from people, including our Abkhaz brothers and sisters living beyond the Inguri River. I am confident that soon all artificial barriers will be removed, and Georgians and Abkhazians will live together in a united and indivisible Georgian state. Together we will create a bright future for Georgia and become members of the European Union,” stated Prime Minister Kobakhidze. The informal leader of the country, Bidzina Ivanishvili, speaking from behind a bulletproof glass screen as usual, emphasized that “the issue of restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity could arise at any moment,” and therefore, according to him, it is necessary to vote for Georgian Dream “so that it can make the necessary changes to the country’s Constitution”.

● The State Security Service reported the release of Georgian citizen Fridon Pakauri, who was previously illegally detained by Russian military forces near the village of Zemo Artsevi in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. Pakauri is now on territory controlled by Tbilisi.

● With only 10 days left until the elections, the Central Election Commission has not yet launched an information campaign in Azerbaijani for the large Azerbaijani community in the Kvemo Kartli region, according to a joint statement released by local media outlets Aktual.ge, 24News.ge, and Interpress.ge. The media accuse the Commission of discrimination and unwillingness to cooperate with media, and urge it to ensure effective dissemination of election-related news among the local Azerbaijani population.

●  Yerevan has confirmed the participation of Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the “3+3” platform meeting in Istanbul, according to the ministry’s spokesperson Ani Badalyan.

●  Yerevan has yet to receive a response from Baku regarding its proposals for the peace treaty project (10th edition) submitted at the end of August, reported the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

● The Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council suggested replacing wheat as a strategic commodity with rice. Recently, Russian Foreign Ministry representative Maria Zakharova reminded Armen Grigoryan, who participated in the Ukrainian food security conference, that 90% of Armenia’s grains are imported from Russia. It is in response to this that Grigoryan is now proposing that Armenia should stop considering wheat a strategic commodity. “We need to be more flexible to avoid having others target our strategic goods, and adapt to this reality. A simple example: we can switch from wheat to rice,” he said at the “Crossroads of the World” conference in Yerevan.

●  Presidents of Armenia and Kazakhstan, Vahagn Khachaturyan and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, attended the opening ceremony of the Days of Armenian Culture in Kazakhstan, held at the Kuanyshbayev National Music and Drama Theatre in Astana.

●  Armenia will establish an Animation Academy, the largest in the region, announced ReA Fest founder and director Vrej Kasuni.

●  Astana is interested in a qualitatively new level of Armenian-Kazakh relations and is ready to provide Yerevan with a platform for negotiations with Baku, stated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his meeting with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

●  Nearly 50 Armenian police officers have been dismissed for drug use, announced Interior Minister Vahagn Kazaryan during parliamentary hearings. He noted that certification is currently underway in the structure, with mandatory drug testing as one of the requirements. These dismissals were the result of such tests.

● President Ilham Aliyev dismissed Armenia’s proposal to “sign everything that has already been agreed upon” as unrealistic. “All points of the peace agreement are equally important; one cannot be separated from the other,” he said.

● “The European Union should continue to remain neutral in the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process,” President Aliyev stated during a meeting with the newly appointed Belgian ambassador to Azerbaijan. He added, “The EU should neither follow the path of Paris nor be influenced by it, as France’s policy towards normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations has been and remains destructive.”

●  “Over the past four years, Azerbaijan has provided humanitarian, economic, and technical assistance to more than 140 countries worldwide, totaling $330 million,” announced Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova at the 149th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva.

●  “The international community must exert serious pressure on Armenia to hand over mine maps. Since the end of the Second Karabakh War, 380 people have fallen victim to Armenian mine terrorism, and this tragic statistic continues to grow,” stated Azerbaijani Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva.

Yesterday, a 23-year-old shepherd in the Gazakh region was injured by a mine and had his leg amputated in the hospital.

●  “The 44-day Patriotic War has created new realities in the region, and the large-scale construction works in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, as well as the opening of the Zangezur Corridor, will create significant opportunities for the Turkic world and Turkic-speaking countries,” said Speaker of the Turkish Parliament Numan Kurtulmuş during a meeting with Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova in Geneva.

●  “A decision on President Putin’s participation in COP29 in Baku has not yet been made, but Russia will definitely be represented,” announced Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

●  Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will attend COP29 in Baku. “This will be his third visit to Azerbaijan in less than a year,” stated Hungarian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Tamás Torma.

●  A circus tent will be set up in central Baku, provided by the Budapest Circus. Meanwhile, the restoration of Baku’s permanent circus building has been halted pending a budget assessment for the renovation works.

●  The Azerbaijan national football team lost another UEFA Nations League match, this time to Slovakia, with a final score of 1-3 in Baku.

●  “European Union leaders are set to warn Georgia that its government is jeopardising the country’s path towards the EU ahead of the parliamentary election later this month”, Reuters reports. This information comes from draft conclusions prepared for the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels on October 17-18, which Reuters has obtained.

●  “Someone scored an own goal today,” German Ambassador to Georgia Peter Fischer tweeted yesterday, apparently in response to Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze’s derogatory comments about Germany’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Europe and Climate, Anna Lührmann.

Earlier, Lührmann had stated that the Georgian government was hindering the country’s Eurointegration process. In response, Kaladze remarked, “I don’t know who this woman is. She’s a real Kubilius in a skirt.”

Lithuanian politician Andrius Kubilius is known as a vocal critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Former footballer Kaladze is infamous for having once scored two own goals in his team’s net.

●  EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell:  “Recent statements and election promises by the [Georgian] ruling party are steering the country away from the European path. This is a signal of a turn towards authoritarianism. That is why the country’s EU accession process is de facto suspended. Let’s wait for the parliamentary elections, which will be a decisive test for democracy in Georgia and its European path.”

●  The opposition party “For Georgia,” led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, does not support the Georgian president’s proposal to announce the composition of a “technical government” before the elections. According to Gakharia himself, such actions would be premature and unacceptable.

Among the main opposition groups, the idea of naming the “technical government” composition before the elections was supported by “Unity” (“National Movement,” “Strategy Aghmashenebeli,” “European Georgia”) and “For Change” (“Akhaly,” “Girchi – More Freedom,” “Droa”). However, like Gakharia’s party, “Strong Georgia” (“Lelo,” “For the People,” “Freedom Square,” “Citizens”) is skeptical about the feasibility of this measure.

●  Russia has issued an interstate search warrant for Georgian citizen Alexander Inasaridze and Ukrainian citizen Sergey Andreichenko, who are believed to be involved in the bombing of the Kerch Bridge in 2022, Russian state agency TASS reports.

●  At least 3,335 citizens have registered on the monitoring platform “My Voice for the EU,” created by Georgian NGOs, expressing their desire to become observers in the parliamentary elections in Georgia on October 26. This is a record number, as no previous election in Georgia has seen so many volunteer observers.

After undergoing special training, they will be assigned to various polling stations across Georgia and overseas.

● The Georgian national football team lost 0:1 to Albania in the fourth-round match of the UEFA Nations League group stage. The match took place at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium in Tbilisi.

In their group opener, Georgia defeated the Czech Republic 4:1, then Albania 1:0, but in the third round, lost to the group’s underdog, Ukraine (1:0).

On November 16, the Georgian national team will face Ukraine again at the Batumi stadium Adjarabet Arena.

●  In Geneva, Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan held a “substantive” meeting with his Turkish counterpart. According to Simonyan, the two discussed a wide range of issues and agreed to continue their dialogue.

Another planned meeting between Simonyan and Azerbaijani counterpart Sahiba Gafarova was canceled. The Armenian Speaker’s press service reported that the Azerbaijani side backed out at the last moment.

●  An Iranian citizen has been arrested in connection with the 2022 kidnapping of the father of former Armenian MP Khachatur Kokobelyan. According to the investigation, he created the cryptocurrency wallet where the ransom was to be deposited.

Four Armenian citizens, including former MP Suren Manukyan, are also accused of involvement in the kidnapping. They are all currently in pretrial detention.

●  Fan clubs of several Armenian Premier League teams are demanding the resignation of Football Federation President Armen Melikbekyan.

In their joint statement, they claim that the “interaction between the Federation, clubs, and fans is at a low level,” that “Armenian football survives solely due to the private sector,” and that “significant changes are needed, starting with the resignation of the Federation President.”

The fans’ protests began following Armenia’s defeat to North Macedonia in a UEFA Nations League match.

● Renowned American economist of Armenian descent, Daron Acemoglu, has been awarded the Nobel Prize, sharing it with James Robinson and Simon Johnson. They were recognized for their research on the formation of social institutions and their impact on the prosperity of nations.

●  The opposition coalition “Strong Georgia” (“Lelo,” “For the People,” “Freedom Square,” “Citizens”) does not support the Georgian President’s proposal to announce the composition of a “technical government” before the October 26 parliamentary election.

“We believe it is appropriate to discuss any candidate for prime minister or ministers only after defeating the ‘Georgian Dream’ – after receiving the people’s mandate,” said one of the leaders of the coalition Saba Buadze.

He confirmed that “Strong Georgia” remains committed to the Charter initiated by the President but believes that now is not the time to form a “technical government.”

Thus, among the opposition groups that signed the Charter, the idea of naming a “technical government” before the elections is supported by “Unity” (“National Movement,” “Strategy Agmashenebeli,” “European Georgia”) and “For Change” (“Akhalis,” “Girchi – More Freedom,” “Droa”). Like “Strong Georgia,” former Prime Minister Gakharia’s party “For Georgia” also doubts the feasibility of this measure.

●  Earlier, the President of Georgia called on opposition parties to confirm their commitment to the “Georgian Charter,” which includes the proposal that she would present a technical government responsible for implementing post-election reforms.

“I intend to present a technical government composed of non-politicians. It should be presented earlier, before the elections, so that the public knows who will be responsible in the government,” said Salome Zourabichvili.

●  Three opposition TV channels have been fined for refusing to air “Georgian Dream” campaigning ads.

Formula, Pirveli, and Mtavari must each pay 5,000 GEL (around $1,850 USD) for refusing to broadcast the ruling party’s campaign videos, which juxtapose images of Ukrainian cities destroyed by Russian forces with scenes of Georgian churches, parks, and new buses, urging voters to choose “Georgian Dream” and peace, saying “no to war.”

Formula, Mtavari, and Pirveli publicly stated that they consider such exploitation of the Ukrainian issue unethical and will not air the ad. In response to the opposition channels’ boycott, the pro-government channel “Imedi” decided to pull opposition ads from its air.

●  Member of the European Parliament Rasa Juknevičienė: “Georgia’s progress towards EU membership has been stalled both officially and unofficially because of what ‘Georgian Dream’ is doing. It is impossible to be supporters of both Europe and the Kremlin simultaneously. What Bidzina Ivanishvili says about the 2008 war, what he and other officials say about the European Parliament – this is the Kremlin’s narrative, attacks on EU institutions, and undemocratic behavior. We are members of both the EU and NATO, so our common challenge is to protect democracy and the aspirations of the people. The aspirations of 80% of Georgia’s population are Euro-Atlantic integration, and our goal is to realize these aspirations.”

● The central office of the opposition party “Unity – National Movement” has been vandalized. Former party chairman Levan Khabeishvili reported this.

“The SGB and police agents orchestrated the vandalism in the Varketili office of the UNM,” he wrote on social media, publishing photos of the office showing paint-splattered walls and equipment.

●  In the village of Ksani near Tbilisi, an attempt was made to run over a supporter of the opposition party “For Georgia” with a car. Party representative Shalva Kereselidze reported this on social media. He claims members of the ruling “Georgian Dream” are involved in the incident.

● “I urge all law enforcement agencies to be especially cautious over the next two weeks and work with special attention to prevent provocations,” said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

●  Russian media are actively pushing the theme of provocations planned in Georgia ahead of the parliamentary elections.

“Ukrainian militants and refugees are being prepared to incite unrest after the elections in Georgia,” a propaganda article with this headline was published by RT.

Citing a “source close to the security structures” in Ukraine, RT reports that in Kyiv, “a forceful action plan is being prepared in case of an unequivocal victory by the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ party.”

●  The Georgian national football team will play against Albania today. The fourth-round group stage match of the UEFA Nations League will take place in Tbilisi at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium. Kick-off is at 20:00 Tbilisi time.

Earlier, Georgian footballers lost to Ukraine 0:1.

●  Member of the opposition “National Movement” Dato Khomeriki said a fake profile has been created in his name on social media, which writes comments in support of the Ukrainian team. He claims this is the work of the ruling party.

● “Baku has handed over all prisoners of war to Yerevan. Azerbaijan has no obligations to release Armenian war criminals and separatists,” stated the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to Armenian calls for the release of Armenian citizens detained in Karabakh.

●  The Baku Initiative Group issued a statement on “the colonial policy of the Netherlands.”

“Continuing its colonial policy in Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, the Netherlands is conducting targeted assimilation in these territories, expelling the indigenous population from the islands and resettling them with Dutch nationals,” reads the BIG statement, issued in response to resolutions adopted by the Dutch parliament against Azerbaijan.

Additionally, BIG calld for the establishment of a commission “to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for past and ongoing crimes.”

●  A daily bus route Baku-Lachin-Baku has been launched. The first passengers traveled on this route on October 13.

●  After prolonged heavy rain, the streets of Hajigabul city in eastern Azerbaijan were flooded. Twelve people, including three children, were evacuated from the flooded area.

●  Azerbaijan plans to significantly increase fines for littering cigarette butts in unauthorized places—from 50 manats (approximately $29) to 300 manats (approximately $176), according to latest amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses. In the case of a repeated offense within a year, the fine will be 700 manats (approximately $412) or 60-100 hours of community service.

●  Residents of Yerevan celebrated City Day. The capital turned 2806 years old. Festivities included a wine festival, exhibitions, concerts, and plenty of jazz.

●  “10 new trolleybuses have already been delivered to Yerevan,” announced municipal spokesperson Hayk Kostanyan on social media.

Previously, the municipality had promised to add 15 trolleybuses and 171 buses to the capital’s transport fleet by the fall.

●  Members of the FAF (First Armenian Front) fan club gathered outside the Armenian Football Federation building overnight after the national team’s loss to North Macedonia. Fans demanded a meeting with the head of the federation, stating they had questions for him. The head of the Football Federation did not come out to meet the fans, and they demanded his resignation.

●  Balloons rose from Republic Square in Yerevan this morning and can be seen in all parts of the city.

“Discover Armenia from the sky”: with this slogan, the annual international aeronautics festival SkyBall kicked off.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 7-11 October, 2024