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

● All personnel of the Armenian armed forces will receive a year-end bonus equivalent to one month’s salary.

●  Internet scammers, utilizing neural networks, have defrauded citizens of half a million dollars. They create deceptive advertising videos featuring prominent politicians and entrepreneurs urging investments in various projects and share purchases, as reported by the Investigative Committee of Armenia.

● Opposition figure Avetik Chalabyan has had his freedom restricted by the court for a period of one year, 11 months, and 5 days. He is prohibited from participating in mass gatherings and public events, and he cannot leave his residence without permission from the supervisory authority.

● Georgian Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili (pictured) visited Armenia, discussing bilateral relations and addressing the issue of blocked traffic on the Georgian-Russian border during a meeting with Alen Simonyan in Dilijan. Snow and landslides regularly disrupt the road, causing congestion of thousands of trucks, most of them Armenian.

● CSTO Secretary General Imangali Tasmagambetov, in Yerevan, met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. Discussions centered around projects for the development of transport and economic communications, notably the “Crossroads of the World” transit project proposed by the Armenian Government.

● Armenia will block the sites of foreign online casinos operating without a license. In addition, non-citizens of the country, including tourists, will be allowed to place bets and receive winnings in foreign currency, according to a decision by the Cabinet of Ministers.

● During inspections, Armenian military police discovered over 4,000 smartphones in military units throughout the year (pictured). The Ministry of Defense reminds military personnel that, for security reasons, the use of such devices is prohibited, and regular cell phones are allowed only during free hours.

● Early this morning, 30 families (121 people) of internally displaced persons left Baku for the village of Zabukh in the Lachin district for permanent residence. To date, a total of 176 families (688 people) have relocated to Zabukh.

● The Azerbaijan Football Cup match occurred at the city stadium in Khankendi. Before kick-off, President Ilham Aliyev delivered a speech at the stadium and initiated the match by hitting the first ball.

● Extensive residency of French intelligence agents in Azerbaijan has been disclosed. These agents were involved in various operations across Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and several countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, as reported by Identificator, citing its sources.

●  SOCAR aims to achieve zero emissions by 2050, as stated by the company’s head, Rovshan Najaf.

● In Azerbaijan, intervention by a mother-in-law or father-in-law in the family of their son will now be considered domestic violence, according to proposed amendments to the law “On the prevention of domestic violence.”

●  Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidential administration, described relations with the Georgian government as “cold” but expressed goodwill towards the people of Georgia, acknowledging their sacrifices for freedom and endorsing their right to a comfortable life in the European Union.

●  Georgia opposed the UN resolution “Combating the glorification of Nazism” proposed by Russia. Armenia and Azerbaijan voted in favor. While 49 countries opposed it, 118 supported it, and 14 abstained. Ukraine accused Russia of using the resolution to justify aggression against Ukraine.

●  Starting in January, Tbilisi City Hall will fully cover the treatment costs for breast cancer patients, irrespective of their social status or income. This year, the state assumed full funding for all types of operations and treatment for oncology patients.

●  Kabu (Kakha Abuashvili), a singer and actor facing accusations of violence and drug-related charges, is set to perform at a New Year’s concert organized by the mayor’s office of Akhaltsikhe in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region. Kabu was granted bail as a temporary preventive measure and left prison on November 29.

●  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that no Georgian citizens were among those killed or injured in the Czech Republic tragedy, where a criminal shot students at Charles University. The President of Georgia extended condolences to the victims’ families.

●  The Court of Appeal upheld the Tbilisi City Court’s decision to sentence Roin Mebonia to 20 years in prison for fatally stabbing his wife on a bus in front of their three children.

●  Austrian Airlines is set to operate flights between Tbilisi and Vienna starting in May 2024, flying three times a week.

Photo of Kakha Abuashvili at a court hearing:

● President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited Khojavand and Khojaly districts in Karabakh. They visited Girmizi Bazar settlement, Chinar Sanctuary Memorial Complex and Shushakend village.

●  The presidential aide denied fears that Baku plans to “cut a land corridor” to Nakhichevan through Armenian territory by force of arms. “Azerbaijan no longer has any military goals. For us, war and confrontation are over. We have achieved what we deserved,” Newsweek magazine quoted Hikmet Hajiyev as saying.

● Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov met with servicemen serving in Lachin. He also inspected military equipment and checked the readiness of the crews.

●  Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov plans to visit Saudi Arabia in early 2024. “Baku expects to develop cooperation with Riyadh in various spheres, particularly in the field of green energy,” Deputy Minister Yalcin Rafiyev told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper.

● New US ambassador to Azerbaijan Mark Libby visited Shehid Alley in Baku.

●  Today at 14:00, a soccer match between the teams “Garabagh” and MOIK will take place at the city stadium in Khankendi as part of the Azerbaijan Cup. Several thousand fans are anticipated to attend in the stands.

●  “We assume that Pashinyan will accept President Putin’s invitation and come to St. Petersburg on December 25-26 for the CIS summit, and there we can talk,” is how Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the Armenian prime minister’s recent statement accusing the Kremlin of violating the trilateral agreements. “Our position has been made clear more than once: Moscow is ready to solve all arising issues in a calm manner,” she said.

●  Armenian regulator deprived Sputnik Armenia radio of airtime for a month and fined it. The decision concerns the program of former MP Arman Abovyan, titled “Abovyan Time”, in which the commission found statements “spreading panic and based on unverified and unreliable sources”.

●   In 2024, the Armenian government will allocate AMD 7.1 billion ($17.6 million) for the purchase of scientific equipment. This is more than for 2018-22 combined: Nikol Pashinyan.

●   The office of Armenia’s first honorary consul in Georgia was inaugurated in Georgia (pictured).

●  Tbilisi City Court is hearing the case of 21-year-old Lazare Grigoriadis (pictured), detained after the March actions against the law on foreign agents, today.

● The movement “Sirtskhvilia” (“Shame”) is going to hold a rally outside the court in support of Lazare.

●  Ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili proposed to create a “committee of political activism and unity”. According to him, this structure should become “a place for generating ideas and a political forum”.

“We will create a committee for political activity, […] we will attract people who have never been involved in politics. Now is the time for unity. We must put aside all grudges and personal differences, because now the issue of life and death of Georgia is being decided. I am telling you this, Misha Saakashvili, who surrendered and sacrificed himself for Georgia,” he said as he took part in a court hearing of his case via video link.

●  Saakashvili: “I guarantee that Georgia will become a member of the European Union in 4 years”.

●  The Georgian Dream expressed disagreement with the assessments provided by the Venice Commission, particularly regarding the ruling party’s proposed electoral system reform and the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Bureau.

European experts had raised concerns, deeming the drafts “fraught with serious risks and deficiencies not in line with the stated goals.” Both issues are among the nine tasks set by Brussels for the initiation of Georgia’s EU accession talks.

● From January 1, 2024, the movement of large-size vehicles will be restricted in Tbilisi, said the mayor of the city Kakha Kaladze.

The restrictions will apply to vehicles of categories M3 (large buses), N2 (medium commercial vehicles, including vans and small trucks) and N3 (large commercial vehicles, including trucks and buses) during peak hours from 08:00 to 11:00 in the morning and from 17:00 to 20:00 in the evening in some areas of the capital.

●  One person was detained for burning an EU flag mounted on the Mtskheta administration building.

● “Yerevan is awaiting Baku’s response to its proposals for a peace treaty. Negotiations on the text of the peace agreement with Azerbaijan are ongoing, and there may be new contacts,” stated Nikol Pashinyan in an interview with Public Television of Armenia.

● Two members were expelled from the ruling party of Armenia, Sarkis Aleksanyan and Artush Yeghiazaryan, as announced on the social networks of “Civil Contract” following a recent meeting.

● The Sotk gold deposit’s underground operations are set to resume in March, according to Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures Hovhannes Harutyunyan.

● Armenia aims to raise age standards for IVF (from 53 to 55 years) and for surrogate mothers (from 35 to 38).

● The main Christmas tree lights were lit in Yerevan’s Republic Square.

● Armenia secured a spot among the top ten most attractive developing tourist destinations at the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards held in London, according to the Tourism Committee.

● Aziz Orujov, head of the Internet TV channel “Channel 13,” faces a new charge for smuggling in addition to the previous arrest for illegal house construction. Read more here

● Orkhan Hajili, son of Musavat party leader Arif Hajili, has been placed under house arrest after being arrested on November 2 for a traffic accident. Read more here

● Azerbaijan is open to considering Armenians’ applications for reintegration, offering a secure return and a dedicated electronic portal for citizenship applications, according to Assistant to the President Hikmet Hajiyev in an interview with BBC World.

● Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov discussed bilateral cooperation and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the new US Ambassador Mark Libby in Baku.

● Baku urges Paris “to refrain from provoking Yerevan into a new war,” criticizing France’s arms supply to Armenia, as stated by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mamedov in an interview with NTN24.

● Azerbaijan has invited the OSCE to observe the early presidential elections scheduled for February 7, 2024.

● Azerbaijan has commenced egg exports to Russia, delivering the first batch of 612 thousand pieces amid an acute shortage and rising prices of chicken eggs in Russia.

● A new 7-kilometer-long bike path is set to appear in the heart of Baku (pictured).

● “We have proven that a small nation can succeed when the truth is on its side,” declared the mother of Gigi Octozoria, who was killed in 2016 at a Russian checkpoint in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict zone. The Ochtozoria family recently won their case against Russia in the Strasbourg court, with the ruling ordering Russia to pay the family 130 thousand euros in compensation. Read more here

● The President awarded the Order of Distinction to Amiran Gamkrelidze, Director of the National Center for Disease Control, recognizing his significant contributions to healthcare system development and exceptional service in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.

● A new study by the UN Women’s Organization and the National Statistical Service of Georgia reveals that at least 50.1 percent of women aged 15-69, or every second woman in the country, have experienced at least one of seven forms of violence during their lifetime.

● The Ministry of Health reports that in Georgia, some medicines are sold at prices 32 times higher than their real cost. The markup of pharmaceutical chains reaches 1,000%, 2,000%, and even 3,000%. The ministry suspects cartel transactions and plans to contact the National Competition Agency.

● In Kutaisi, a special investigative service has initiated an inquiry into alleged violence against minors by police officers.

● An elderly woman tragically died in a fire in a residential building on the Nutsubidze plateau in Tbilisi.

● In Toulon, France, police arrested a 28-year-old Georgian woman on charges of murdering her husband. The couple’s young children sought help from neighbors, reporting a significant altercation between their parents. The preliminary police report suggests the man was killed accidentally.

● The number of candidates for the presidency in Azerbaijan has reached seven, with Gudrat Gasanguliyev, Razi Nurullayev, and Fuad Aliyev announcing their nominations. As of now, none of the candidates has submitted the required 40,000 voter signatures for registration. Early presidential elections in Azerbaijan are scheduled for February 7, 2024.

● The U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan expressed deep concern over the arrest of Tofig Yagublu, calling for his release and that of all individuals imprisoned for exercising fundamental freedoms. Read more about arrests in Azerbaijan here

● Azerbaijani Ambassador to the United States, Khazar Ibrahim, met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (at the photo). Details of the meeting have not been disclosed.

● In the city of Khojavend (formerly Martuni), explosives left by Armenians were discovered in a school. The demining agency reported that the explosives, including a hand grenade taped to a desk and tied to a chair and doorknob with rope, were defused by ANAMA employees.

● A 3-year-old boy died of measles in Lankaran. Azerbaijan’s medical circles reported that measles vaccines for middle-aged and elderly people will be delivered to the country by the end of the year.

● The Ministry of Transport announced plans to build a 7-kilometer-long bicycle path in Baku in 2024.

● Qarabag’s opponent in the UEFA Europa League playoffs has been determined, with Azerbaijani football players set to play against Portuguese Braga in February.

● In his annual report to parliament, the prime minister expressed gratitude to oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, considered the shadow ruler of Georgia, crediting the Georgian Dream party for leading the country towards Europeanization and democratization since 2012. Read more here

● The Prime Minister emphasized the goal of peacefully de-occupying the country’s territories in his parliamentary report.

● Despite facing protests in spring 2021, the state plans to resume the Khudoni hydroelectric power station project at its own expense. Explore the arguments and a documentary film here 

● The Prime Minister announced plans for the construction of a cultural center in Jordan, with construction set to commence in 2024 after Georgia received a 4,000 square meter land plot from Jordan in January 2022.

● Georgia did not join the European Union’s decision to extend the “Magnitsky list” until December 8, 2026, while other EU candidate countries supported the extension of sanctions against Russian officials.

● German Interior Minister Nancy Feser’s visit aims to sign a migration agreement simplifying legal employment opportunities for Georgian citizens in Germany and facilitating the deportation of illegal immigrants.

● Georgian Dream’s Chairman, Irakli Kobakhidze, anticipates discussions on Georgia’s EU membership to begin in December 2024, asserting the country’s readiness for negotiations.

● Zaza Gogava, former Chief of the General Staff during the August 2008 war, was elected chairman of the Tbilisi organization “United National Movement,” created by Mikheil Saakashvili.

● Firefighters and rescuers successfully rescued three cars with eight passengers from a snowfall at Goderdzi Pass in the Achara region.

? The photo depicts Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on a land plot provided by Jordan in January 2022.

● Nikol Pashinyan expresses hope for no deliberate delay in the regional peace process, emphasizing deep concern if such a viewpoint is justified. The Armenian prime minister made these remarks at a New Year’s reception held at the country’s Foreign Ministry.

● Head of the mission Markus Ritter states that increasing the number of EU observers in Armenia will provide additional opportunities for monitoring the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

● In January, Armenia is set to inaugurate its first plant for the production of aluminum radiators, as announced by the head of the Armenian Ministry of Energy, Vahan Kerobyan.

● On the 100th anniversary of Charles Aznavour, a large section of the Champs Elysees in Paris will be named in his honor by the mayor’s office.

● Property belonging to the ex-mayor of Gyumri, Vardan Ghukasyan, has been seized as he faces accusations of criminally appropriating more than 20 properties.

● Today, Germany and Georgia will sign a migration agreement to facilitate legal employment for Georgian citizens in Germany and streamline the deportation of illegal immigrants from Germany. German Interior Minister Nancy Feser will be in Tbilisi for the signing, emphasizing that Georgia is not considered a “dangerous country,” with a mere 0.3% probability of asylum for its citizens.

● Today, the Prime Minister will present a report on the government’s work for 2023.

● Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, now leader of the For Georgia party, finds it “unacceptable and incomprehensible” when two radical parties, one in power and the other in radical opposition, associate the country’s achievements with their leaders’ names.

● Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, alleges, “The United States and its satellites are trying to undermine the post-Soviet space, revive the Transnistrian conflict, open a second front in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, thereby causing destabilization in Transcaucasia.”

●  Traffic with trailers and semi-trailers has been halted due to a snowstorm on the Gudauri-Kobi section of the highway leading from the Russian border.

● The ruling New Azerbaijan party has submitted documents to the Central Election Commission, nominating Ilham Aliyev as a presidential candidate in the upcoming early elections. Additionally, Zahid Oruj, the head of the Center for Social Research, and Fazil Mustafa, the chairman of the Great Creation party, have applied for registration. Elshad Musayev, the head of the Great Azerbaijan Party, has also put forth his candidacy for the position of President of Azerbaijan.

● The opposition Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan and the Musavat Party have decided not to participate in the presidential elections, citing unacceptable conditions for conducting an election campaign.

● The main New Year tree in the city center of Baku is currently being decorated.

● Armenia and Russia have signed a framework contract to extend the operating life of the second power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant for another 10 years.

● Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Galuzin, stated that “the difficulties in relations between Armenia and Russia are temporary and can be overcome, contributing positively to the further development of diverse ties.”

● Drivers of cars with Georgian license plates organized a rally on the Yerevan-Aparan highway to protest against the government’s decision on mandatory customs clearance for such cars.

● During construction on the North-South highway in Armenia, ancient structures were unearthed, including a fragment of a wall dating back to the 2nd millennium BC and buildings from the early Middle Ages.

● The former mayor of Stepanavan, Sarkis Karakeshishyan, faces 21 charges, including the criminal appropriation of land plots and money laundering with his relatives. The Prosecutor General’s Office reports that the property of the former official has been seized, and charges have also been brought against his two sons and nephew.

Media monitoring in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, 11-15 December, 2023