Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 4-8 November, 2024

● French President Emmanuel Macron congratulated Moldova’s president on her election victory during his speech at the European Political Community summit in Budapest. However, in addressing Georgia’s prime minister, he did not congratulate the ruling party on their parliamentary election win; instead, he urged Georgia to confirm its commitment to a European path and democratic model. Macron noted that both Moldova and Georgia had faced numerous attacks on democracy, including cyberattacks, vote-buying, and election manipulation, as observed by all monitors.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists he met with European Council President Charles Michel at the Budapest summit, describing it as a “very friendly, constructive conversation.” Kobakhidze shared his view on Georgia’s political situation, noting that the opposition struggles to mobilize people and has much less public support than four years ago. He reiterated to Michel that the ruling party remains open to any discussions and that their positions are flexible.

● The speaker of the Georgian parliament expressed anger over a joint statement by the leaders of France, Germany, and Poland, which called on Georgia’s authorities to “quickly and transparently investigate widespread election violations” and to repeal the “foreign agents” law. The speaker accused them of hypocrisy, arguing that the law aligns with European values by promoting transparency, while the EU spends money in Georgia non-transparently and finances radical political parties. He claimed that EU-funded organizations monitoring elections were engaging in subversive activities and accused “foreign-funded NGO millionaires” of waging war on Georgian democracy.

● The Georgian appeals court rejected civil society organizations’ lawsuits regarding election violations on October 26, including breaches of voter secrecy, and overturned a previous ruling by Judge Vladimir Khuchua of the Tetritskaro District that had invalidated results at 30 polling stations. The appeals court hearing lasted 23 hours.

● Nona Kurdovanidze, head of the Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), criticized the appeals court, stating it failed to protect voters’ constitutional rights despite substantial evidence presented. Kurdovanidze argued that some voters unintentionally violated their own secrecy due to improper use of envelopes intended to conceal marked ballots, but that the election commission was ultimately responsible for inadequate election procedures. She further accused the Central Election Commission of using overly thin ballot paper, making voters’ selections visible from the other side.

● Nino Dolidze, director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), analyzed Central Election Commission data and reported that at many polling stations, significantly more men than women had voted, and at 23 stations, the number of male voters exceeded the number of registered male voters. In response, a CEC representative acknowledged minor calculation inaccuracies at a few polling stations, affecting a small number of voters.

● The My Voice observation mission claimed that its members were summoned by prosecutors and continued to face pressure, including fines for “improper advertising placement” against the Civic Movement for Freedom organization in Ozurgeti (Western Georgia). The fine followed the display of a banner on its office balcony reading, “Russian Dream stole the elections” (a reference to the ruling party Georgian Dream, as noted by JAMnews) as a protest against election irregularities.

● Ana Natsvlishvili, a representative of the “Strong Georgia” coalition, encouraged the public to join a Facebook group titled “Protect Your Voice #IWantNewElections” (დაიცავი შენი ხმა #ვითხოვ ახალ არჩევნებს). The group will provide daily updates on the ongoing investigation into violations in the October 26 parliamentary elections. Natsvlishvili also urged expatriates who voted to request confirmation from the CEC that their votes were officially counted.

● During the European Political Community summit in Budapest, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico personally congratulated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the ruling party’s success in the parliamentary elections, according to a press release from the Georgian government.

● The United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Anatoly Bibilov, the former leader of the self-proclaimed South Ossetia until May of this year. South Ossetia is a region that Russia recognizes as a state but is viewed by the UN and the international community as Georgian territory occupied by Russia. Bibilov is accused of destabilizing Ukraine and threatening its territorial integrity. The sanctions include an asset freeze and a travel ban.

Photo by David Pipia / JAMnews: Portraits of Tbilisi residents. 

● Today, Azerbaijan celebrates Victory Day. On November 8, 2020, during the Second Karabakh War, the city of Shusha was liberated. A day later, with Azerbaijani forces nearing Khankendi, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia signed a trilateral agreement, ending the 44-day war. To mark the occasion, the country has declared a six-day holiday.

● Azerbaijani experts believe a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could take place in Baku.

● A new high-speed highway, Beyukshor-Pirshagi, connecting downtown Baku with the suburbs, has been opened.

● The football club Qarabag defeated the Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt 2-1 in an away match as part of the UEFA Europa League.

● Social media is filled with photos and videos of huge crowds and long lines in the Yerevan metro, with many calling the situation a nightmare. Due to overcrowded trains, passengers face long waits. Mayor Tigran Avinyan previously explained the delays as a result of a shortage of trains but did not specify when or how the issue would be resolved. Meanwhile, the metro’s press service tried to reassure residents by stating, “Similar situations occur during rush hour in Japanese cities too.”

● The speaker of parliament and two other deputies are proposing changes to Armenia’s national anthem. The draft published on the parliament’s website suggests two amendments:

• Remove a verse about death, which translates as: “Death is everywhere, man dies only once, but blessed is he who dies for the freedom of his people.”

• End the anthem with the words: “Let Armenia shine before its enemies, let Armenia be forever!”

● Nikol Pashinyan, who traveled to Budapest with his wife for the opening of the 5th European Political Community summit, met on the sidelines with the presidents of France, Turkey, and Ukraine, as well as the prime ministers of Georgia and Slovakia.

● Teachers who were displaced following the 44-day war in 2020 will receive additional pay for their work in Armenia, according to a government decision.

● Armenia and Azerbaijan have not yet reached full agreement on the entire text of the peace treaty, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan.

● The heads of foreign affairs committees from Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Ireland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Moldova, and Ukraine, along with EU representatives, issued a joint critical statement regarding the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia. They urged the EU and transatlantic allies to impose sanctions on those responsible for election violations, including political leaders and the honorary chair of the ruling party, oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili. The statement calls for freezing EU cooperation funds for Georgia and suspending visa-free travel. Read more here

● US Ambassador to Georgia Robin Dunnigan: “The bond between the American and Georgian people will withstand any political shifts, regardless of election outcomes. Connections between our companies, universities, businesses, think tanks, institutions, militaries, and law enforcement will remain strong regardless of results.”

● Former US Ambassador to Georgia Ian Kelly: “The Georgian government won’t gain legitimacy for the election results from Washington unless it investigates reported violations. I don’t expect the ruling Georgian Dream to conduct an objective inquiry. International oversight would be crucial.”

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: “A key task of the ruling party is to weaken the opposition, as they pose a constant risk for Georgia.” Four opposition parties that entered parliament after the October 26 election have accused the government of vote-rigging and declared plans for street protests.

● Three political leaders in Georgia congratulated Donald Trump on his US presidential victory, though with differing messages:

• President Salome Zourabichvili: “America has been our strategic partner and friend for 33 years. A strong America is crucial now for supporting Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration and security.”

• Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: “I’m confident that his leadership will bring global stability and enhance US-Georgia relations.”

• Executive Secretary of Georgian Dream Mamuka Mdinaradze: “We are pleased to see that peace and traditional values are triumphing in the US.”

● The Kutaisi Court of Appeals dismissed a case from the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and the coalition “My Voice,” which demanded the annulment of election results in Western Georgia due to alleged violations.

● Gela Mtivlishvili, editor of the online publication “Mtis Ambebi,” filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights over his January 23, 2024 detention during protests against the “foreign agents” law. Supported by the Social Justice Center, the case against the Georgian government claims a violation of Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court has accepted the case and will review it on an expedited basis.

● President Salome Zourabichvili held talks with European leaders ahead of the European Political Community Summit in Budapest on November 7. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze is also attending.

● Independent television channel Mtavari Arkhi co-founder Giorgi Rurua was questioned at the State Security Service as a witness in cases concerning attempted coups and violent overthrow attempts. Rurua noted he signed a non-disclosure agreement and was not questioned about terrorism.

● The monitoring coalition “My Voice” accused the General Prosecutor’s Office of investigating NGOs rather than addressing election violations found during the October 26 elections.

● Nika Gvaramia, of the opposition “Akali” party: “We have gathered tents for protests outside parliament, demanding the annulment of rigged elections and new voting.”

● Two residents died in a fire at the Mukhiani Savane nursing home, with two more hospitalized, reports the State Care Agency.

● “We look forward to working together to build strategic bilateral relations,” said Nikol Pashinyan in his congratulations to Donald Trump on his election victory.

● In Ankara, it was announced that Yerevan and Baku are nearing an agreement. “This also depends on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Achieving peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is viewed in Turkey as an important element for ensuring stability in the South Caucasus,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to *Turkiye* newspaper.

● A female leopard, the only one in Armenia, was caught on camera by a wildlife trap in the “Zangezur” biosphere complex (pictured).

● The Armenian Parliament has postponed the review of a law to introduce labeling for dairy products that would comply with the standards of the Eurasian Economic Union (under Russia’s leadership). The lawmakers could not reach an agreement on the form of the labeling.

● Amendments to the electoral code will be discussed during parliamentary hearings on November 8.

● “Transit shipments along the East-West corridor increased by 15% in 2024,” announced President Ilham Aliyev at the summit of leaders of the Organization of Turkic States in Bishkek.

● The 12th summit of the Organization of Turkic States will be held in Azerbaijan in 2025.

● COP29 participants in Baku are offered free metro rides; they simply need to show their accreditation card to access this service.

● Ambulances will be permitted to use the special lanes allocated for COP29 transportation on Baku’s roads.

● Azerbaijan’s municipal elections will be held no earlier than January 25 next year, according to the Central Election Commission. The exact date will be announced by the end of November.

Photo: A sculpture near the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

● Protests against the results of the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia continue. Today, the opposition is gathering its supporters at the Appeals Court building in Tbilisi, where the decisions of two lower courts in Gori and Tetritskaro will be contested. These courts made an unprecedented move by upholding the claims of local observers and annulling the voting results at several dozen polling stations. The rally starts at 11:00.

● Today, the German Bundestag will hear a report from the federal government on the parliamentary elections in Georgia. This is not the first time that current events in Georgia have been discussed in the German parliament. Two weeks before the parliamentary elections, on October 10, the Bundestag adopted a critical resolution on Georgia, stating, among other things,  that “[the informal ruler of the country] Bidzina Ivanishvili’s goal of retaining power is prioritized over Georgia’s European future and democratic stability.”

● One of the founders of the opposition TV channel “Mtavari Arkhi,” Giorgi Rurua, has been summoned for questioning as a witness by the State Security Service. “The case has been opened under two articles – ‘state coup’ and ‘violent seizure of power.’ They have clearly got the wrong address. The coup and seizure of power were carried out by the ‘Russian’ Dream under the leadership of one person. His name is Bidzina, and his surname starts with the letter I,” he wrote on social media. Rurua spent nearly two years in prison from 2019 to 2021, accused of illegal acquisition and possession of firearms, and was pardoned by President Salome Zourabichvili under the pressure of the opposition which considered him a political prisoner.

●  “The people of Georgia have made their choice. We respect it. We are ready to continue the process of normalizing bilateral relations,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, commenting on the results of the elections in Georgia. “The US and Europe are artificially trying to portray the current electoral process in Georgia as a strategic choice between Russia and the West. They want to present Georgia and other post-Soviet states with a false dilemma,” he said.

●  “Khajarat Akhvelidiani and Giorgi Romelashvili, who were illegally detained by Russian occupation forces, have been released and are now in territory controlled by central authorities,” the State Security Service reports. The “hotline” mechanism, operating with the direct involvement of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia, was actively used in the process of freeing Georgian citizens.

●  The first foreign visit of the Georgian Prime Minister after the parliamentary elections has been announced: Irakli Kobakhidze is flying to Hungary to participate in the fifth summit of the European Political Community in Budapest. On November 7, he will speak at a panel discussion on economic security.

● Prime Minister Alexander De Croo: “Belgium stands firmly behind the people of Georgia and their European aspirations. Electoral irregularities must be addressed urgently. We emphasize the need for dialogue to ensure peace and stability in the region.”

● A summit of the Organization of Turkic States is taking place in Bishkek today. President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan traveled to the capital of Kyrgyzstan yesterday to attend the event.

● Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Russia, Rahman Mustafayev, expressed gratitude to President Putin for Russia’s “active support of the peace process between Baku and Yerevan”. “I have already congratulated Armenia’s Ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan, on his official appointment. We will maintain constructive relations with him in Moscow,” said the Azerbaijani diplomat during the credential presentation ceremony.

● Azerbaijani judoka Farhad Rajabli has claimed his 12th world championship title among veterans. In the final match at the World Championship in Las Vegas, Rajabli triumphed over Alain Dayez of France. Additionally, the 64-year-old athlete received a special award from the International Judo Federation, recognizing veterans who have won at least ten world championship titles.

● Istanbul’s Beşiktaş may play their home Europa League match against Israel’s Maccabi in Baku. Due to strained relations between the two countries, the fifth-round group stage match of the Europa League between Beşiktaş and Maccabi Tel Aviv will be held on neutral ground on November 28.

● Azerbaijan has finally responded to Armenia’s proposals for a peace treaty, which were submitted at the end of August, according to Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan. Baku sent its 11th package of proposals to Yerevan yesterday.

● “Moscow is not pushing Yerevan and Baku to hastily conclude a peace treaty, but the desire of the US and EU to sideline Russia increases the risks,” stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

● “Russia will continue to do everything possible to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said President Vladimir Putin.

● Nearly 58% of the 1,100 citizens surveyed are dissatisfied with Prime Minister Pashinyan’s performance, according to Gallup International Association.

● The Bureau of the Dashnaktsutyun party is calling for fundraising to aid Lebanese Armenians. The statement from the organization highlights that the situation of the Armenian community in Lebanon has severely deteriorated due to the ongoing conflict, with rising unemployment and a large number of refugees exacerbating the situation. The ARF Bureau stresses that without consolidation and support, Lebanese Armenians will face serious threats.

●  The Georgian opposition is calling for daily protests demanding new elections. “Our plan is to blanket the entire city with protests. We will be everywhere in Tbilisi, every day. Rustaveli Avenue is not enough. We need to be on every square and every bridge,” Nika Melia, a leader of the “Coalition for Change”, said at the rally in front of the Georgian parliament yesterday. Today’s protest is scheduled for 2:00 PM at the Sports Palace in Tbilisi.

●  The Tetritskaro District Court (in Eastern Georgia) annulled the election results at 30 polling stations where electronic voting took place due to transparent ballots. A forensic experiment was conducted in the courtroom, after which Judge Vladimir Khuchua ruled that ballot secrecy was violated on election day. The lawsuit was filed by the “Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association.”

●  Gori District Court Judge Nino Gergauli upheld the claim of the “International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” (ISFED) and instructed the district election commission to recount invalid ballots at 15 polling stations in Gori. According to a representative of the organization, the number of invalid ballots in the preliminary vote count does not match the figures in the final protocols. The courts in Gori and Tetritskaro are the only ones so far to have upheld complaints regarding election violations. A total of over 1,300 such complaints from opposition parties and NGOs are currently being reviewed by the courts.

●  President Salome Zourabichvili commented on these decisions: “If even one decent judge has emerged, then Georgia will survive,” she said.

●  Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary-General of the ruling “Georgian Dream” party Kakha Kaladze said about the president, “She should get off her behind and go answer all the questions.” A few days earlier, Salome Zourabichvili refused to appear before the prosecutor’s office after being summoned for questioning following her statements that the elections were rigged.

●  U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller: “We have made clear that we stand with the people of Georgia. We have made clear that we support their EU ambitions. We have made clear that we support their further integration with their Euro and Atlantic partners. We have put, as you know, under review the – a significant amount of assistance that we provide to the Government of Georgia and have suspended $95 million of that assistance because of steps that we have seen them take. And we will continue to look at whether there are additional measures that would be appropriate; and if so, we won’t hesitate to use them.”

●  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen: “The situation following the elections remains concerning. If Georgia wants to keep a strategic orientation towards the EU, we need concrete actions from the leadership. Our enlargement report shows the way.”

●  Swedish eco-activist Greta Thunberg participated in yesterday’s protest in Tbilisi against the parliamentary election results. “I am here to express my support and solidarity with all activists and citizens who are defending their fundamental rights, such as freedom, justice, and democracy,” she told reporters.

●  President Aliyev will participate in the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States, which is being held in Kyrgyzstan today.

● The Central Election Commission will announce the date for the next municipal elections by the end of November 2024.

●  Azerbaijan has introduced a free visa for participants of the UN Climate Conference COP29, which will take place in Baku from November 11-22. The “COP29 Special Visa” allows its holder to make a single visit and stay in Azerbaijan for up to 30 days.

● Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Armenian citizens detained in Karabakh and held in Baku prisons, facilitating contact with their families.

●  A man wanted internationally has been extradited to Azerbaijan from Germany. Allahverdi Mammadov is accused of fraud, bribery, forgery, and organizing illegal migration, causing significant damage to several individuals.

●  The Ministry of Health is procuring PCR kits for detecting the monkeypox virus, as indicated by information published on the unified public procurement portal.

● The issuance of discounted student cards has begun in Azerbaijan. Currently, these cards offer discounts at over 200 retail and food service establishments. In the future, the discounts will also apply to services in the sports, healthcare, and transportation sectors.

●  An exhibition of Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn’s sculpture series titled “Equilibrium” has opened near the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku. The presence of a sculpture of a nude woman in the exhibition has sparked controversy on Azerbaijani social media. Some users believe that it is inappropriate.

 ●  Azerbaijani Ambassador Vagif Sadigov in Brussels threatened to kill his Armenian colleague Tigran Balayan, according to politico.eu. The Armenian diplomatic mission lodged an official protest. The incident reportedly took place during a reception at the Tangla Hotel in Brussels, organized by the Turkish embassy to celebrate a national holiday.

●   Narek Sargsyan, the nephew of former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, has completed his prison term and been released. A criminal case against Sargsyan was initiated in 2018, and he was placed on the wanted list. He was charged with illegal possession of weapons, drug trafficking, and kidnapping. In December 2018, Interpol located him in Prague, where he was hiding under the alias Franklin Gonzalez. A Prague court and the Czech Ministry of Justice agreed to extradite him to Armenia, and he was handed over in December 2019. Sargsyan admitted guilt to the charges.

●  “Google Maps is showing Armenian territory as Azerbaijani” – the “Together” movement has appeal to U.S. Ambassador Kristina Kvien, proposing that she study the history of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border delimitation and demarcation and call for the American company to be brought to account.

●   The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is discussing removing Armenia from the blacklist of countries whose airlines are banned from EU airspace, announced the head of the Ministry of Territorial Administration, Gnel Sanosyan. Armenia was blacklisted in 2020 primarily due to a lack of inspection personnel. According to the minister, the issue has mostly been resolved, with several specialists undergoing retraining, and the final, 41st, technical requirement set by EASA is being met.

●   During a BRICS meeting in Kazan, Pashinyan and Aliyev discussed Armenian prisoners, according to Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan.

●    A large protest is scheduled to take place in Tbilisi today, demanding the annulment of the October 26 parliamentary election results, which the opposition and many local and international observers claim were massively rigged by the ruling party. At the rally, the opposition is expected to announce its plan for further action. The rally begins at 7:00 PM in front of the Parliament building.

●   A major topic of discussion among the opposition-leaning public is a scandalous journalistic investigation by TV Pirveli, which revealed that “call centers” were operating near each polling station on election day. According to TV Pirveli, these “call centers” influenced voters by calling citizens from pre-prepared lists and urging them to vote for “Georgian Dream.” Up to 6,000 people nationwide are said to have been involved in this scheme. The TV channel claims to have internal correspondence, voice messages, and various files from these “call centers.”

●    “The government of Georgia is unequivocally pro-European,” stated Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. “We have no other choice because the Constitution of Georgia obliges the authorities to make every effort to promote Georgia’s European integration,” Kobakhidze said in an interview with the Italian TV channel Sky, which had labeled the ruling party of Georgia “pro-Russian.”

●   Former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza criticized Georgian Dream for its lack of efforts towards European integration. “It seems the Georgian government has given up on the prospect of joining the European Union. Amid this tension, I think we will see more and more sanctions from America and Europe,” he said in an interview with Voice of America.

●    Czech Ambassador to Georgia Petr Kubert commented on statements by Georgian authorities that the country’s course towards European integration remains unchanged. “European Commission clearly writes: European Council de facto halts the accession process of Georgia X Georgian authorities say: European integration process of Georgia continues! 2024 EU Enlargement Report on Georgia is one single document but reading is different,” Kubert wrote on X.

●    President Salome Zurabishvili sharply criticized Georgian ambassadors, referring to them as “petrified, defunct, hiding in embassies like in burrows!” This came after some ambassadors had taken to Facebook to congratulate each other on Diplomat’s Day yesterday. “When the government tramples on the country’s European aspirations, most diplomats remain silent about steps taken towards Russia and do not protest… Peace in the country is in danger when its diplomats are ineffectual. Freedom is in danger when those who serve the state are afraid of their own shadow! Independence is under threat when those who should be sending alarm signals to our partners about Russia’s hybrid actions pretend not to notice anything!”

●    MEP Riho Terras stated: “The EU has acknowledged the obvious, but now we should focus on sanctions – sanctions against Ivanishvili and those who have curtailed the opposition’s opportunities in the country over the past years; who manipulated the media, owned the media, and prevented the opposition from expressing their views. This is a classic example of anti-democratic development. Therefore, I am convinced that we should begin considering sanctions against the ruling party of Georgia.”

●  MEP Rasa Juknevičienė remarked: “Yes, the door to the EU is closing, but this is being done by the hands of the Georgians themselves. By those who voted for Georgian Dream, but primarily by those who manipulated the elections and did not conduct them in a free and fair environment. They committed a terrible act, stealing the elections from the Georgian people using their power.”

●  Azerbaijani military personnel and warships have arrived at the Iranian port of Enzeli to participate in the joint military exercises “AZIREX-2024.” These maneuvers, taking place in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea, involve two Azerbaijani Navy warships and over 100 service members.

●  From 2024 to 2027, Azerbaijan is projected to maintain a budget surplus of 1.7% of GDP and a current account surplus of 7% of GDP. According to S&P Global Ratings, the Azerbaijani government plans to keep net assets at an average level of around 50% of GDP through the end of 2027.

● A landmine explosion occurred in the Goranboy district of western Azerbaijan. A local resident was grazing sheep on his farmland when the animals triggered the mine. Fortunately, the man was unharmed.

● An Azerbaijani referee will officiate a UEFA Champions League match. FIFA referee Aliyar Agayev has been appointed as the chief referee for the match between Bologna (Italy) and Monaco (France).

●  The Fire Temple “Ateshgah” in Baku may soon be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan has started preparing the nomination document. The temple is currently on UNESCO’s tentative list.

●  Former Yerevan Mayor Hayk Marutyan and his supporters have initiated a petition against the upcoming increase in public transport fares set for January 1, 2025. Marutyan criticized the city authorities on social media, pointing out their failure to implement an effective electronic payment system for transit and their plan to significantly raise fares, which he believes will create further chaos and inconvenience for residents.

●  Armenian weightlifter Petros Petrosyan has won gold at the European Youth Championship, achieving a combined total lift of 384 kg.

●  A Saudi Arabian prince is set to visit Armenia, according to the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Abdulaziz Bin Talal Al Saud will participate in the international conference “Path to Social Justice: Decent Work” on November 5.

●  Armenian football clubs “Ararat”, “Alashkert”, “West Armenia”, and “Syunik” have declared their support for the head of the Football Federation, Armen Melikbekyan. This comes after fans and the oldest clubs, “Pyunik”, “Shirak”, and “Urartu”, demanded his resignation.

In their statements, the four clubs acknowledged their dissatisfaction with the results of many matches but emphasized that the responsibility lies not solely with the Federation’s leadership but also with the clubs themselves.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 27 October-1 November, 2024