Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from 4-7 March, 2024

● Raids conducted at ToplumTV’s offices. The police cordoned off the area and detained everyone present, around 15 people in total (pictured). Criminal cases have been initiated against six ToplumTV journalists, accusing them of “smuggling in conspiracy with a group of persons.” The ToplumTV Youtube channel has been hacked, renamed, and stripped of all content.

● Searches and detentions also occurred at the office of “Platform III Republic,” where three individuals were detained. Subsequently, two were released, while criminal cases were opened against the platform’s speaker, Akif Gurbanov, under the same charge of “smuggling in conspiracy with a group of persons.” For several months now, six Abzac Media employees have been in pre-trial detention under the same charge. Read more here

● President Ilham Aliyev praised the humanitarian relations between Russia and Azerbaijan during a meeting with Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin.

● The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, expressed satisfaction with the progressing relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

● “We proceed from the fact that everything PACE is currently engaged in is absolutely politicized. Azerbaijan has spoken for itself. I don’t think they need lawyers. We all need an adequate assessment of what is happening in PACE. Double standards, arrogance,” said Maria Zakharova, a representative of the Russian ministry of foreign affairs.

● Azerbaijan discussed trading Congolese oil products with the personal representative of the president of the Congo, Francoise Joly, and SOCAR’s head Rovshan Najaf.

● Azerbaijan’s Electronic Security Service discovered a database containing stolen bank card data of 13,000 citizens, who fell victim to cybercriminals in the past two months.

● Changes to the law “On labor pensions” will grant fathers the right to receive an old-age labor pension on preferential terms based on the number of children they have.

Photo: Ulviya Ali

● Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow hasn’t received a message from Yerevan regarding the withdrawal of Russian border guards from Zvartnots airport, contrary to claims by Armenia’s security council secretary Armen Grigoryan. Read more here

● Armenia’s purchases of military equipment from Russia have significantly decreased from 96% to less than 10%, according to Armen Grigoryan. He emphasized that this reflects Armenia’s policy of diversification, seeking partners not only in the West but also in Asia and other regions.

● During Armenian defense minister Suren Papikyan’s visit to Tehran, he discussed military cooperation and regional security issues with major general Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.

● Mihran Poghosyan, former head of the compulsory enforcement service and ex-deputy, has established the “Armenian National Unity” party. Poghosyan, wanted in the “cocaine case,” announced his resignation from the Republican Party and his election as chairman of the newly formed political entity, hinting at potential participation in the 2026 parliamentary elections.

● Former minister of defense Arshak Karapetyan intends to transform the All-Armenian Front movement into a political party, with the founding congress scheduled for April 5.

● Nikol Pashinyan paid a visit to the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Cairo, where he laid flowers at a khachkar dedicated to Armenian Genocide victims. During his visit, it was announced that a square in Cairo would be named the Square of Armenia.

● President Salome Zurabishvili mentioned “some signs” of a possible rapprochement between the ruling party and its honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili with Russia. However, she also noted that “this might be due to caution or changes in their mindset.” She stated during a meeting with media representatives at her residence, “But I am sure that the citizens of Georgia will not allow a pro-Russian government in the country if this becomes obvious.”

● Chairman of parliament Shalva Papuashvili addressed the bill “on the ban on LGBT propaganda,” which the ruling party plans to introduce soon: “Of course, we don’t have [freedom of choice] when it comes to gender. There are only two of them – woman and man, this is anatomy. Can you change your age, for example? Can you say: ‘I want to be 20 years old now’ – and then do it?”

● The leader of the parliamentary majority, Mamuka Mdinaradze, expressed support for the project, stating, “The Georgian people support the ban on LGBT propaganda.” However, the initiative has faced criticism on social media and in the media, with many comparing it to the previous controversial bill on foreign agents, nicknamed the “Russian law,” which sparked mass protests last year.

● The prosecutor’s office made a sensational statement regarding “dozens of oncologists involved in a large-scale fraudulent scheme to embezzle millions of budget funds through the sale of unlicensed drugs to cancer patients.” Resigned minister of health Zurab Azarashvili disclosed this information, alleging the involvement of at least 60 oncologists. However, no supporting evidence or specific details were provided.

● Health experts began criticizing these allegations, with one specialist, Vato Surguladze, expressing disbelief: “I tried to recall 60 oncologists in Georgia, but could not remember more than 30 names. How can one indiscriminately insult all doctors at once?”

● Civil activist Nata Peradze reported being attacked by about ten people in Digomi village while attempting to rent a greenhouse. She stated, “They shouted that a person like me would never buy anything in this village. Two activists were with me, and they were also insulted.” This is not the first time Peradze has faced such attacks; earlier, aggressive supporters of the pro-Russian platform Alt-Info organized a protest outside her home after she defaced an icon of Stalin found in Tbilisi’s central Sameba Cathedral.

● According to the Bloomberg index, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s wealth has increased by $325 million since the beginning of the year and now stands at $6.92 billion. Ivanishvili ranks 374th on the list.

●  US Under Secretary of State for political affairs Victoria Nuland is stepping down from her post. Deputy Secretary of State John Bass, who previously served as the US ambassador to Georgia from 2009-2011, will serve as acting secretary until her replacement is confirmed.

● The Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the city court, which required the “Pirveli” television company to pay prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s mother 5,555 lari (approximately $3,000), as well as 5,000 lari each to a journalist and producer. Tamar Zaalishvili, a former deputy director of the national center for educational quality, was the subject of a story titled “Fake diplomas from the basement,” aired by the television company on July 10, 2022. The story detailed the issuance of fake diplomas claiming graduation from the Theater Institute.

●  Gogi Margvelashvili has been appointed as the artistic director of the Kote Marjanishvili Theater following the resignation of Levan Tsuladze last October, which sparked controversy.

●  Leri Barnabishvili has been appointed as the deputy minister of finance. Previously, he served as the head of the department for relations with regions within the government apparatus.

●  UFC lightweight champion Ilya Topuria has acquired Spanish citizenship.

●  In a high-profile case in Tbilisi, the accused has been found guilty of trafficking his wife and minors, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence.

●  There are reports of the arrest of the son of the head of the cultural department of the ministry of tducation of the autonomous republic of Achara on charges of drug trafficking.

●  New 18-meter buses have commenced operations in Tbilisi.

●  Baku and Tehran have agreed on the imminent return of Azerbaijani diplomats to Iran. The decision was made during a meeting of the foreign ministers of both countries in Saudi Jeddah, on the sidelines of an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Azerbaijani tmbassy in Tehran had suspended its activities following an armed attack on the diplomatic mission in January 2023.

● During Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin’s visit to Baku, several documents were signed between Azerbaijan and Russia.

● Foreign minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed Azerbaijan’s serious concerns about the escalating situation in the Gaza Strip at an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah. He urged the international community to take concerted action to prevent further casualties among innocent civilians.

● First lady Mehriban Aliyeva shared family photos in celebration of “Od Chershenbesi” (Tuesday of Fire), marking the second of the last four Tuesdays before Novruz.

● Deputy Fazail Agamaly, speaking in parliament, raised concerns about Armenia’s alliances with France and Greece, accusing Armenia of trying to leverage these relationships for military purposes. He advocated for “a military operation to annex eight occupied villages to Azerbaijani lands.”

● The Azerbaijani parliament has called for stripping citizenship from Azerbaijanis fighting in Ukraine, similar to those who fought in Syria and Iraq, according to Zahid Oruj, chairman of the human rights committee.

● Azerbaijani serviceman Ruslan Panakhov, who was detained on the border with Armenia, has returned to Baku after Armenian investigators ceased criminal prosecution against him.

● Azerbaijan has established a database concerning families where girls are deprived of access to education.

● Approximately 8,000 patients with suspected measles were identified in Azerbaijan last year.

●  Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov held discussions with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan. The talks centered around bilateral relations and regional issues, as reported by the Armenian foreign ministry.

●  Yerevan has announced plans to send humanitarian aid to Gaza, expressing condolences for the innocent victims of the recent hostilities. This announcement came during a meeting between the Armenian prime minister and Egyptian leader El-Sisi.

●  On March 7, Konstantinos Kombos, the foreign minister of Cyprus, is scheduled to make an official visit to Armenia.

●  The head of the General Staff reassured the public that there are no significant concentrations of Azerbaijani armed forces along the border with Armenia, and their movements are being closely monitored.

●  Various political figures, including the Armenian prime minister, paid tribute to Vazgen Sargsyan at the Yerablur military pantheon. Sargsyan, a key figure in the founding of the Armenian army and a former prime minister, was commemorated on his birthday. He was tragically killed in the parliament shooting in 1999.

●  Azerbaijani serviceman Ruslan Penakhov will be transferred to Baku as soon as possible. The National Security Service of Armenia stated that this is being done as a gesture of goodwill and in fulfillment of the agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the highest level on the return of military personnel who got lost and found themselves on the opposite side.

● The head of the Armenian foreign ministry presented the Greek minister of defense with a state award – the Order of Friendship. The ceremony took place during the meeting of Ararat Mirzoyan with Nikos Dendias, who is in Yerevan on an official visit.

● Nikol Pashinyan embarked on a two-day official visit to Egypt. The agenda includes negotiations with the country’s president Al-Sisi, prime minister Madboul, secretary general of the League of Arab States Gheit, and other high-ranking officials.

● Every sixth subscriber using household gas in Armenia does not comply with safety requirements. Gazprom Armenia came to these conclusions after completing the next scheduled maintenance of gas consumption systems (which are carried out at least 2 times a year). Out of more than 698 thousand subscribers, almost 121 thousand were found to be in violation.

● n Armenia, employees of the ministry of internal affairs seized 218 units of illegally stored weapons in February.

● Today in Azerbaijan, we celebrate “Od Charshyanbyasi” (Fire Tuesday), the second of four Tuesdays before the spring holiday – Novruz. Here is a story about “Tuesdays” in photos and videos

● “PACE is waging a biased and dirty campaign against Azerbaijan, and this approach is unacceptable. The parliaments of several countries have already spoken out against this injustice,” stated president Ilham Aliyev.

● Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit Azerbaijan on March 5-6. The head of the Russian government will hold meetings with president Ilham Aliyev and his counterpart, Ali Asadov.

● Azerbaijani serviceman Musa Eyvazly shot himself in the Shamkir region.

● The modernization of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway could be completed before the end of April, announced the head of Azerbaijan Railways, Rovshan Rustamov. The project’s implementation will reduce the time of cargo transportation between Asia and Europe and increase the route’s throughput from 1 million to 5 million tons per year.

● The ultramarathon from Khankendi to Baku has concluded in Azerbaijan – covering a distance of 360 km (pictured). The winner was Artem Aliyev. Out of 64 participants, 17 people (15 men and 2 women) reached the finish line.

● Today at 19:30, a silent vigil will be held near the parliament building in memory of those killed in Odessa on March 2, when Russia attacked the city with drones. According to the latest information, 12 civilians were killed, and the number of wounded increased to 20.

● Nika Melia, former chairman of the National Movement party (considered the leader of the opposition, founded by Mikheil Saakashvili), will announce the formation of his new political party this week. He stated that the party will run for parliament in the October elections at number 4 (the National Movement has number 5). “This election will undoubtedly bring transformative changes in line with the country’s interests. In the near future, the number 4 will become a symbol of struggle and victory, success and progress,” Melia wrote on social media.

● A bill proposing a significant increase in the salaries of the prime minister, president, and ministers from 2025 was submitted to parliament by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

● Four parliamentary committees supported a bill in the first reading that significantly tightens regulations on pet ownership, aiming to address the issue of stray animals. The bill was presented by one of its authors, Maya Bitadze, Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources. The session included a question-and-answer format, with participation from animal rights activists. Read more about the project here

● A Turkish Navy ship has arrived at the port of Batumi.

● Police located and safely returned home a 13-year-old girl who had been kidnapped, a resident of the village of Iormuganlo in the Sagarejoy district. Her father reported that the teenager was kidnapped by a fellow villager who was also underage and wanted to marry her.

? Photo: Poster for the rally in support of Odessa and Ukraine, scheduled for today at the parliament.

● “Azerbaijan has a highly ambitious agenda for renewable energy projects,” stated Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with Euronews TV channel. “We aim to significantly increase the utilization of renewable energy in the country and reduce natural gas consumption in the domestic market within 10 years.”

● The remains of several more individuals were discovered during excavations of a mass grave in Khojaly. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan reported that as of yesterday evening, the number of deceased individuals found at the ongoing excavation site had reached 14.

● In Agdam, a 29-year-old shepherd named Bakhtiyar Akhmedov was injured by a mine explosion, resulting in both of his legs being amputated after being admitted to the hospital.
“Azerbaijani Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva urged the international community to pressure Yerevan into providing accurate mine maps to Baku.”

● Handwritten copies of the Quran were listed for sale in Azerbaijan for $60,000. The front side of the scripture was transcribed in 1293 in Tabriz. The book, divided into several volumes, received expert authentication from the Azerbaijan National Museum of Art.

● “The emergence of Ivanishvili is a significant boon for our political faction,” stated Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the For Georgia party (pictured). “The Georgian Dream has evolved into a group that espouses one thing but acts differently.” Georgia’s de facto ruler, Bidzina Ivanishvili, has twice declared his retirement from politics, most recently resurfacing – now as the honorary chairman of Georgian Dream – at the close of last year. He justified this decision as a means to “shield the ruling team from human temptations.”

● On February 29, 58 illegal Georgian migrants were expelled from France, as reported by the French embassy. According to embassy data, 965 Georgian citizens were deported from France in 2023, marking a 23% increase from the previous year’s figure of 785 individuals.

● The Georgian delegation is participating in the “World Youth Festival,” held in the Krasnodar region of Russia. The 40-member group is led by Dmitry Lortkipanidze, director of the Georgian-Russian Public Center named after Primakov.

● A 30-year-old man has been apprehended on charges of sexually assaulting two children, aged five and seven, in Shida Kartli. According to available information, the suspect is a relative of the victims’ family.

●   “Yerevan does not see any obstacles for the full normalization of relations with Turkey and is ready to open the border,” stated Armenia’s special representative on normalization of relations with Turkey, Ruben Rubinyan, in an interview with CNN Türk.

●   Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that “Yerevan has not confirmed the possibility of the visit of Russian Ambassador-at-Large Igor Khovayev to Armenia.”

●  “Two ethnic Armenians have made it to Iran’s parliament,” as reported. Ara Shahverdyan and Geghard Mansourian took the two quotas provided for the Armenian community. Shahverdyan, a re-elected deputy, has served in the previous convocation, while Mansourian is known as an internationalist and author of articles on Armenia and Karabakh in the Iranian press.

●  A delegation headed by the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Greece, Nikolaos Dendias, is arriving in Armenia on an official visit today.

Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from February 26 – March 1, 2024