Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from 19-23 February, 2024

● Azerbaijani club “Qarabag” defeated Portuguese team “Braga” in the UEFA Europa League over two matches, securing a spot in the tournament’s round of 16 for the first time in Azerbaijani football history. Despite playing with a numerical disadvantage for 63 minutes, the Azerbaijani team scored the winning goal in the final minute of extra time.

● Foreign minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed concerns about Armenia’s constitutional claims regarding Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty during a meeting with EU special representative Toivo Klaar. He emphasized that the recent border provocation by Armenia aimed to disrupt the peace process.

● Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva marked the 32nd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, condemning Armenia’s policy of ethnic hatred against Azerbaijanis. She criticized Armenia for failing to address the fate of nearly four thousand missing Azerbaijanis from the first Karabakh war despite Azerbaijan’s repeated requests.

● A British court seized 22 real estate properties worth $63 million belonging to Azerbaijani MP Javanshir Feyziev, ruling that the properties were acquired through money laundering, according to the Azadlig newspaper.

● Zelensky appointed former head of Ukraine’s defense industry ministry, Yuriy Gusev, as Ukraine’s ambassador to Azerbaijan.

● Trend reports that a girl who went missing four years ago in Agdam was murdered by her father and buried in a nearby field. Nargiz Najafova disappeared in March 2020, and law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the area. The girl’s body has not yet been found.

● Access to the OKX and ByBit cryptocurrency exchanges has been restricted in Azerbaijan as part of efforts to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

● In 2023, the population of Azerbaijan spent 59 billion manats (approximately $35 billion) on purchasing food and other goods, with around 60% of this expenditure occurring in Baku.

● “Armenia’s involvement in the CSTO is essentially halted at present. We’ll have to see what unfolds in the future,” stated prime minister Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with France24 TV channel. When questioned about the fate of the Russian military base in Armenia, the prime minister clarified that “the base operates outside the scope of the CSTO agreement, and its status is not currently a topic of discussion in Armenia.”

● Nikol Pashinyan expressed concerns about a potential new attack against Armenia in light of Azerbaijan’s labeling of Armenia as “Western Azerbaijan” during an interview with France24 TV channel.

● Vasilis Maragos, head of the EU delegation to Armenia, stated that Josep Borrell intends to visit Armenia. The visit by the EU’s foreign diplomacy chief is connected to the meeting scheduled for March 14 under the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

● French minister of the armed forces Sebastian Lecornu led a delegation on an official visit to Armenia. Le Figaro reported that a shipment of French defensive weapons, including night vision devices and GM200 radars, will arrive in Armenia, as agreed upon last fall.

● Deputy prime minister Mher Grigoryan emphasized the importance of understanding the legal basis for drawing certain maps in the delimitation process. He stated that special attention will be given to coordinating topographic maps in the upcoming meeting with Azerbaijani counterparts.

● New prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, following a two-day visit to Brussels, met with the Chinese ambassador to Georgia, Zhou Jian (pictured). It was reported that discussions centered on “close relations between the two countries and future cooperation.”

● Mamuka Gatserelia’s mother, the mother of a Georgian fighter in Ukraine sentenced to life imprisonment in Russia, appealed to the Georgian authorities and the president, seeking assistance in her son’s release. Read more here

● The final hearing scheduled for February 26 in the case of activist Lazare Grigoriadis was postponed, as the judge went on vacation. Grigoriadis was detained in March last year during protests against the foreign agents bill. Read more here 

● At the Mukhatgverdi brotherly cemetery near Tbilisi, government and parliament representatives, along with his family, held a memorial ceremony in memory of Archil Tatunashvili, who was captured, tortured, and killed by the Russian military exactly six years ago in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone. Read more here

● Interest on loans taken out before 2023 will be reduced for over 150 thousand pensioners, with the interest amount equalizing the currently accepted rate. This decision was made during a special meeting involving the Prime Minister, acting President of the National Bank, and CEO of Liberty Bank, which handles pension payments.

● Due to rockfall and avalanches, traffic on the highway leading from the Russian border, specifically from the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint, is once again closed.

● France pledges to continue defense cooperation with Armenia, approving the supply of defensive military equipment, as announced by president Emmanuel Macron during a joint briefing with Nikol Pashinyan in Paris. Macron emphasized the need for Baku to ensure the prompt and safe return of Nagorno-Karabakh residents to their homes.

● Yerevan has received another set of peace treaty proposals from Baku, revealed security council secretary Armen Grigoryan. The draft treaty will be discussed soon at a meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries.

● The reburial ceremony of Armenian Resistance hero Misak Manushyan and his wife Meline was held in Paris, attended by leaders of Armenia and France.

● Former unrecognised NKR leader Samvel Shahramanyan was summoned by Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee regarding reports of cash disappearance and car theft.

● Ten individuals have offered to pay over $37,000 each to avoid military service, revealed Hayk Sargsyan, the bill’s author, noting that these citizens previously evaded service and are now 27 years old. Their pending criminal cases will be dropped, and they will receive new passports soon.

● Fitness trainer and blogger Kamil Zeynalli, detained in Moscow upon Armenia’s request on charges under five articles of their criminal code, has returned to Baku from Moscow, reportedly released due to Azerbaijani authorities’ efforts.

● “We strongly condemn the unfounded claims against Azerbaijan in unilateral defense of Armenia, voiced on February 21 by the president of France during a joint press conference with the prime minister of Armenia in Paris,” stated the Azerbaijani foreign ministry. “For almost 30 years, France has not spoken out about the violated rights of Azerbaijanis, expelled from their territories and subjected to massacres, but now speaks about the rights and safety of Armenians who left the territories of Azerbaijan of their own free will and without any violence.”

● Azerbaijan has inked a historic deal with Pakistan to purchase modern fighter jets, including JF-17C Block-III aircraft, along with training and combat supplies, valued at $1.6 billion, marking the largest agreement of its kind in history.

● In 2023, Azerbaijan emerged as Italy’s top oil supplier, exporting approximately 11.3 million tons of oil, a 25% increase from 2022.

● The new Turkish-Azerbaijani University will commence student admissions in the upcoming academic year, offering technical specialties based on educational programs from universities in both countries.

● The period of preliminary arrest for Aziz Orujov, head of the Internet channel “Channel-13”, has been extended by another month.

● Akhmed Akhmedov, a suspect in the murder of five family members, has been hospitalized in the Republican Psychiatric Hospital for a 20-day evaluation of his mental health.

● Seven Azerbaijani citizens, including five children and two women, have been repatriated from Syria, according to the Azerbaijani foreign ministry.

● The 8th EU-Georgia Association Council meeting in Brussels, chaired by High Representative Joseph Borrell and attended by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, highlighted Georgia’s granted candidate status for EU accession and stressed the importance of implementing nine recommendations from the European Commission issued on November 8, 2023.

● During discussions in Brussels, prime minister Kobakhidze emphasized “the threat to Europe’s integrity, freedom, and peace,” urging “continued international support for Georgia, which has 20 percent of its territory occupied by Russia.”

● NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized Georgia’s crucial need to prioritize democratic values during a meeting with the country’s Prime Minister.

● European Parliament president Roberta Metzola reiterated full support for the European aspirations of the Georgian people.

● Nino Tsilosani was appointed deputy chairman of parliament with the support of 85 deputies during a plenary meeting.

● A trial in Kutaisi involves a special purpose department employee from the ministry of internal affairs accused of domestic violence in front of minors, drawing significant public attention. The court set preliminary bail at 5,000 lari ($1,500), while the prosecutor’s office seeks detention.

● Newly launched Georgian airline “Georgian Wings” inaugurated its first flight from Tbilisi to Chisinau, Moldova, offering regular flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

● Renowned Azerbaijani athlete and blogger Kamil Zeynalli was detained at Moscow Domodedovo airport. He claims his detention is part of an international search requested by Armenia. Zeynalli had previously faced administrative arrest in the Fuzuli region during the second Karabakh war for violating martial law and sharing restricted information online. He had posted videos from the front line on his social media accounts.

● The head of the Georgian parliamentary delegation urged the PACE chairman to reconsider the resolution rejecting the ratification of the Azerbaijani delegation’s powers. The letter emphasized that this decision tarnishes the reputation of the Council of Europe as a vital platform for dialogue and cooperation.

● Azerbaijan will observe the first day of Ramadan on March 11, with celebrations scheduled for April 10-11.

● Azerbaijan’s trade turnover with the countries of the Organization of Turkic States in 2023 reached $8.208 billion, comprising 16% of the nation’s total trade turnover. This marks a 23.7% increase from the previous year, according to the state statistics committee.

● In January, over 166,000 foreigners from 152 countries visited Azerbaijan, representing a 39.3% increase from the same period last year. Azerbaijan’s land borders have been closed since March 2020.

● Early ticket sales for the 2024 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix have commenced. Prices for standing seats range from 40 to 120 manats (approximately $25-70), while seats range from 120 to 690 manats (about $70-400). The Formula 1 event is scheduled for September 13-15.

● The president will veto amendments to the electoral code recently approved by parliament. The presidential administration stated that these changes contradict the Venice Commission’s requirements and EU recommendations. Transparency International also criticized the amendments. One significant change is that the chairman and members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) will now be appointed by the parliament speaker instead of the president, with the CEC chairman requiring a simple majority vote in parliament for approval. The CEC chairman dismissed the criticism as baseless.

● Prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze assured that the authorities will ensure the upcoming parliamentary elections in October are free and fair.

● Rikard Jozwiak, editor of the European bureau of Radio Liberty, reported that Hungary’s foreign ministry pledged to begin negotiations on Georgia’s EU accession during its presidency of the European Council from July to December 2024. This commitment was made during the Georgia-EU Associated Council meeting in Brussels, attended by Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

● Representatives of the international election observation mission held discussions with the ruling Georgian Dream, opposition, and civil society representatives about the main challenges ahead of the October parliamentary elections. These challenges include hidden financing of political groups, abuse of administrative resources, and government control over the central election commission.

● Nathalie Loizeau, a member of French president Emmanuel Macron’s team, appealed to EU leaders for special attention to be given to the imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, citing concerns following the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny in prison.

● In Russia, Georgian fighter Mamuka Gatserelia, captured during the surrender of Ukrainian forces at Azovstal in May 2022, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the alleged murder of three Russian soldiers.

● Latvia is considering officially adopting the original self-name “Sakartvelo” for Georgia, following Lithuania’s lead. This initiative was discussed in the Latvian Seimas with input from the ministry of foreign affairs and the State Language Center. Georgian authorities have long advocated for the use of “Sakartvelo” instead of “Georgia” internationally.

● Charles Michel and Nikol Pashinyan had a phone discussion on the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, which Michel described as “productive.” The European Council President emphasized the EU’s commitment to fostering peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Caucasus.

● A rally commemorating the 36th anniversary of the Karabakh movement took place in Yerevan. Demonstrators called for prime minister Nikol Pashinyan’s early resignation and urged citizens to support the demand.

● An auction for a “prestigious” license plate featuring zeros is set to take place, with 138 participants expected to bid. The starting price for such a number is 20 million drams ($50,000), and the auction will be held on February 23, according to the newspaper “Graparak.”

● Armenia leads in medal count at the European Weightlifting Championships in Sofia, with the Armenian team securing a total of 26 medals: 11 gold, 7 silver, and 8 bronze.

● Prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze and a government delegation embarked on his inaugural visit to Brussels. Bilateral meetings within the European Union and NATO are on the agenda, including a session with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg and a convening of the NATO-Georgia Commission.

● NDI is initiating an international pre-election observer mission ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October. NDI is commencing consultations with government representatives, political parties, civil society, media outlets, and diplomatic missions to shape the mission.

● The ruling party’s parliamentary majority is nominating Nino Tsilosani for the position of vice speaker. Newly elected majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze made the announcement, succeeding Irakli Kobakhidze, who assumed the role of prime minister. Rati Ionatamishvili was elected as the chairperson of the ruling Georgian Dream faction in parliament.

● Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the parliamentary majority, asserts that “the president and the National Movement share a single agenda: to fabricate a nonexistent ‘Russian trace’ in every action undertaken by the ruling Georgian Dream.”

● Incarcerated Mikheil Saakashvili took to social media, expressing gratitude to Georgian citizens who endorse the petition calling for his release. A grassroots campaign is underway across regions to gather signatures urging the president to grant clemency to the former president.

● Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the opposition “National Movement,” and Mikheil Saakashvili’s envoy, Sofo Japaridze, engaged with Kutaisi residents as part of the petition drive. Khabeishvili underscored that “elections cannot be deemed legitimate while the leader of the primary opposition party remains incarcerated.”

● Legislation will be enacted to penalize involvement in illegal border crossings into Georgia. This matter was deliberated during a session of the committee for the protection of human rights and civil integration.

● Bank of Georgia, a leading financial institution, confirmed its intent to acquire 100% ownership of Armenian Ameriabank. Armenian media reports suggest that the controlling stake of this bank belonged to Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian oligarch who served as the prime minister of the unrecognized NKR. Vardanyan was subsequently detained by Azerbaijani authorities and is currently under arrest in Baku. Bank of Georgia CEO Archil Gachechiladze described Ameriabank as “a thriving and lucrative entity with a robust clientele,” viewing it as “an appealing platform to expand our operations by capitalizing on the successes achieved in the Georgian market.”

● Approximately 350 employees of the Republican Hospital in Tbilisi have accepted compensation and the offer of new employment, following the government’s decision to dismantle the outdated facility and construct a new one in its stead. However, a faction of employees continues to protest against the decision.

●  BOGG PLC, the owner of Bank of Georgia, has announced the acquisition of Ameriabank, one of Armenia’s largest banks. The acquisition comes amid speculation surrounding former unrecognised NKR state minister Ruben Vardanyan, currently detained in Azerbaijan. While Vardanyan’s associates claim he severed ties with the bank’s board long ago, some experts in Armenia suggest the deal may be influenced by pressure on Vardanyan in Azerbaijan.

●  President of Turkey urged third countries “to refrain from undermining the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, instead advocating for constructive engagement.” He emphasized the need for Armenia to adopt a strategic, long-term perspective in approaching the peace process.

●  UNICEF has pledged $1 million for the education of preschool children from Karabakh, aiming to provide schooling for 9,000 displaced children. The grant, facilitated by Armenia’s ministry of education and science, seeks to address the educational needs of those affected by the conflict.

●  Armenian freestyle wrestlers returning from the European Championship received a warm welcome at Zvartnots airport, celebrating their achievements with 2 gold and one bronze medal.

●  Weightlifter Hripsime Khurshudyan (87 kg) secured bronze at the European Championships in Sofia, bidding farewell to professional sports in a poignant moment where she removed her shoes and kissed the barbell after her final lift.

●  Ivan Aivazovsky’s masterpiece “Moonlit Night” fetched 92 million rubles (approximately $1 million) at auction, underscoring the enduring appeal of the artist’s work.

●  Armenia celebrated Book Giving Day with literary events and gatherings featuring writers and poets across the country. The holiday aims to foster a love for reading, history, and culture among the populace.

●  President Ilham Aliyev embarked on an official visit to Turkey, engaging in discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and signing bilateral agreements.

●  Following negotiations with Erdogan, President Aliyev emphasized the effectiveness of anti-terrorist measures in Karabakh, underscoring the successful implementation of the Turkish military model in Azerbaijan.

●  President Aliyev announced plans for an informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States to be held in Shusha in July. This coalition comprises Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, with observer status extended to Hungary and Turkmenistan.

●  Construction of a solar power plant in the Jabrayil region is slated to commence in the latter half of 2024.

●  The Jalilabad district is witnessing a surge in measles cases, with 576 residents infected since November 2023. Of these, 379 are minors and 197 are adults. Presently, 83 individuals remain active cases, with one hospitalized.

●  Azerbaijani climbers achieved a historic feat by conquering Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa.

●  Azerbaijani weightlifter Dadash Dadashbeyli clinched gold at the European Championship in Sofia, securing victory in the snatch (176 kg), clean and jerk (212 kg), and overall event (388 kg).

● Ilham Aliyev embarks on his first official visit to Turkey following his re-election as president of Azerbaijan.

●  “There is de facto peace in the South Caucasus,” Ilham Aliyev said. He called the meeting with Nikol Pashinyan in Munich useful and said that “agreements have already been reached towards normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, delimitation of borders and holding negotiations on a peace treaty.” Reaching peace and signing a peace agreement is quite realistic,” the president added.

● Blinken emphasized the significance of the U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relations at the meeting with Aliyev in Munich. “I raised the importance of human rights and reiterated U.S. support for a durable peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” the Secretary of State said on X (Twitter).

● Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov embarks on a visit to the US to discuss Baku’s projects contributing to international energy security.

●  Azerbaijan conducts training camps for reservists aimed at enhancing combat readiness and improving the skills of military reserve conscripts.

● Pashinyan and Aliyev in Munich agreed to continue negotiations on peace agreement.

●  Prime Minister Pashinyan holds talks with US Secretary of State Blinken in Munich. Following the meeting, Blinken took to X to describe the discussions as productive – in terms of both US mediation efforts between Baku and Yerevan and bilateral relations.

● “Armenia expects Russia to make efforts for the return of Armenian prisoners from Baku, as well as the preservation of Armenian cultural heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh”: Armenian Deputy Speaker Hakob Arshakyan.

● Armenian gymnast Artur Davtyan secures gold in the vault category at the World Championships held in Cairo.

● Wrestler Arman Andreasyan (70 kg) clinches the title of European champion in Bucharest. He dedicates his victory to his brother-in-law Taron Andreasyan, a participant of the 44-day war.

Another Armenian wrestler, Arsen Harutyunyan (57 kg), secured gold ahead of schedule by defeating his Turkish counterpart Muhammet Karavus. Harutyunyan became the first Armenian to win the European Championship four times.

● “United National Movement” has started collecting signatures under an appeal to President Salome Zurabishvili demanding the release of ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili. The campaign will continue for two weeks throughout Georgia. On March 1, the appeal will be handed over to Zurabishvili.

● The ruling party is urging Saakashvili supporters “not to compare him to Navalny.” “Just google and compare the photos: Saakashvili’s two-room suite and Navalny’s cell. There is a difference in everything, from the reasons for imprisonment to the accommodation conditions of these two people,” said Mamuka Mdinaradze, head of the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction.

● Meanwhile, the Georgian Dream has refrained from commenting Navalny’s death. Only president Salome Zurabishvili has made a statement so far: she expressed condolences to the family and called the death of the Russian oppositionist “a tragedy for all defenders of democracy and human rights”.

● Georgia revels in dual triumph in the UFC as Ilia Topuria secured the featherweight championship with an impressive streak of 15 consecutive wins, while Merab Dvalishvili earned the title challenger position with an unbeaten record of 10 consecutive victories.

● NASA has sent a digital copy of the painting “Roman Spring” by Georgian artist Bruno Vepkhvadze to the moon. The Nova module is scheduled to land on February 22. The Lunar Codex project was invented by Canadian physicist and writer Samuel Peralta.
It is a digitized collection-message of samples of contemporary art, poetry, magazines, music, movies, podcasts and books. The Moon Codex already includes 30,000 works from 157 countries.

● A Georgian citizen who gave a false report of an explosive device on board a Kutaisi-Barcelona flight this week has been arrested, the Georgian security service said. The incident occurred on February 14 when a Wizz Air flight was grounded shortly after takeoff due to the hoax call. All 148 passengers and six crew members were evacuated. The bomb squad did not find anything suspicious on board during the inspection.

● Georgia ranked 89th out of 167 in the global Democracy Index for 2023. While this is an improvement (by one position), Georgia still remains in the group of countries with a “hybrid regime”, between Hong Kong (88th) and Mexico (90th). A total of 34 countries fall into this category, including Armenia (84th) and Ukraine (91st).

Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from February 12-16, 2024