Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from July 8-12, 2024

● The US Congressional Foreign Affairs Committee passed the “MEGOBARI Act” with an overwhelming majority, 41 in favor and 6 against. The document includes sanctions against those responsible for the “foreign agents” law but promises significant support if Georgia strengthens its democratic, pro-Western course. Read more here

● “Given the strong bipartisan support, it is likely that the MEGOBARI Act will soon become law,” influential journalist Alex Raufoglu, who covers South Caucasus issues in Washington, wrote on X.

● Another congressman, Democrat Brad Sherman, has joined as a co-sponsor of the MEGOBARI Act. The bill, initiated by Congressman Joe Wilson, now has 15 co-sponsors.

● French Ambassador Sheraz Gasri: “The European Council has concluded that the path to EU membership is effectively halted due to the Georgian government’s decisions. Direct EU budget support to Georgia is suspended, and France will follow suit. However, we are increasing support for civil society and the media. The Georgian government must change course so we can continue to support Georgia in all areas.”

● US Deputy Secretary of State Uzra Zeya is visiting Georgia. She met with women MPs from the ruling party, women leaders from the opposition, civil society representatives, human rights advocates, and President Salome Zourabichvili. In her X post, she urged the Georgian government to stop anti-democratic actions and anti-American disinformation. “I also spoke with women leaders from the ruling party about the importance of protecting democratic norms and human rights. The US firmly supports the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people, but the actions of ‘Georgian Dream’ have hindered progress toward this goal.”

● President Salome Zourabichvili told Uzra Zeya that “Georgia has never been and will never be a pro-Russian state; the vast majority of the Georgian people choose the European path for their country.”

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated at a government meeting that “2025 should be the year of freedom from liberal fascism, which is deliberately and coordinatedly financed by foreign donors.” He also called the US and EU decisions to suspend funding for Georgia and withdraw from the “Noble Partner” military exercises “counterproductive.” Read more here

● Prominent public figures and cultural leaders have expressed their disagreement with the ruling party’s policies by founding a new socio-political movement called “Choose Europe.” They stated they do not intend to become a party or participate in elections but will launch a 100-day pro-European campaign for the public ahead of the crucial parliamentary elections on October 26. Read more here

● The ruling party presented an initiative for a large-scale amnesty in parliament, listing about 10,000 people. However, it was specified that the amnesty would not include imprisoned ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili.

● Nika Melia, a leader of the opposition party “New,” criticized the “United National Movement” party (founded by Mikheil Saakashvili), where he was previously chairman but left amid serious internal splits. Melia claimed that businessman David Kezerashvili, living abroad, not only continues to fund the party but also makes all political decisions for it. Kezerashvili, a former defense minister in Saakashvili’s government, is accused of being behind an international call center fraud scheme targeting European pensioners. Read more here

Photo by JAMnews: Batumi in peak season.

● Today marks the fourth anniversary of the intense clashes on the border between Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district and Armenia’s Tavush region. These battles, which lasted until the evening of July 17, 2020, resulted in the deaths of 12 Azerbaijani soldiers and one civilian. Many experts believe these clashes triggered the Second Karabakh War two months later. More details about those events here

● The two-day official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Pakistan has begun (pictured). The visit featured an unprecedented welcome: six fighter jets escorted his plane, and artillery salutes were fired upon landing. Aliyev met with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and several intergovernmental documents were signed. According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s initial investments in Pakistan’s economy will amount to approximately $2 billion.

● “Azerbaijan and Armenia continue the normalization process, which will bring long-term peace and stability to the South Caucasus region,” said Azerbaijan’s Parliamentary Speaker Sahiba Gafarova at the plenary session of the 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum.

● In Khojavend, 21-year-old soldier Khanlar Ahmedov was injured due to careless weapon handling during training and later died despite medical efforts, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

● BP has signed a $300 million contract for the subsea construction vessel “Khankendi.” The vessel is necessary for BP’s operations in the Caspian Sea.

● Azerbaijani football club “Zira” won against Moldova’s Tiraspol “Sheriff” with a score of 1-0 in the first match of the Europa League qualifying round. The return match will take place in Baku next week.

● “Westerners may gather intelligence on Russian facilities during the EU mission in Armenia,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. He also stated that “the EU’s objective is evident: to establish a presence in the region at the expense of Russia, Iran, and Turkey.”

● In Yerevan, the case of Sargis Galstyan, accused of espionage for Azerbaijan, has been sent to court. Armenia’s Investigative Committee claims that “Galstyan, who held various positions in the former unrecognized NKR, including Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, collected and transmitted information to Azerbaijani intelligence services about the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian and NKR military positions, the potential resistance in case of an armed attack, and other data between 2020 and 2023.” The statement also mentioned that “after the exodus of the Armenian population from Karabakh in September 2023, he remained there with his wife, having been offered a leadership position, and continued his criminal activities.”

● Armenia will implement a new poverty assessment system to combat extreme poverty, aiming to encourage able-bodied individuals to seek employment, announced Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan.

In the photo: The Art Gallery in Yerevan

● Renowned American journalist Alex Raufoglu, specializing in the South Caucasus, reported on his X account that the “MEGOBARI Act was positively received by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. A vote on the bill is expected today, and it is likely to pass.” The bill aims to identify Russian and Chinese intelligence activities in Georgia and impose a series of sanctions. Additionally, the bill states that if the Georgian government abandons its anti-democratic course, the U.S. will consider providing Georgia with a significant military and trade package and visa liberalization. Read more here

● American Congressman Bill Keating (Democrat): “The bipartisan ‘MEGOBARI Act’ (in support of the Georgian people), which I co-authored, clearly shows that the ruling party’s anti-democratic actions in Georgia will not go unanswered. The people of Georgia have firmly believed in the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration for almost 30 years. The U.S. supports these efforts. I appreciate the House Foreign Affairs Committee considering this issue.”

● American Congressman Joe Wilson (Republican): “The Georgian people have made it clear they want to live in a free and democratic country. War criminal Putin has illegally occupied Georgian territories – South Ossetia and Abkhazia. I visited the Georgian city of Gori (near the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone) and was impressed by the trip.” As a co-author of the MEGOBARI Act, Wilson presented it to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and thanked the committee for including the issue on the agenda. The document was developed in response to Georgia’s adoption of the “foreign agents” law.

● Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib: “During a meeting with Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili, I urged him to ensure the repeal of the transparency law and for Georgia to maintain its commitment to democratic reforms. The people of Georgia see their future in the European Union, but this law distances the country from European values.”

● Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže: “Georgia had the opportunity to advance on the path to European integration when it was granted candidate status for EU membership alongside Moldova and Ukraine last year. The country needed to take concrete steps to start accession negotiations. Unfortunately, the Georgian government and parliament did not take this step and instead adopted the ‘foreign agents’ law and other laws that raise concerns among EU members. As a result, Georgia could not move to the next stage on the path to European integration, unlike Ukraine and Moldova.”

● Germany has decided to comprehensively reassess its relations with Georgia, including canceling the joint legal forum, withdrawing from the “Noble Partner 2024” exercises, and halting new financial commitments, stated German Ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer. Read more here

● The Russian intelligence service claimed that the U.S. is preparing a powerful information campaign to change the government in Georgia. The statement discredits the entire Georgian opposition and President Salome Zourabichvili. Washington called this “complete falsehood,” while Georgian opposition representatives stated that this is a “direct attempt by Russia to interfere in the October parliamentary elections to help the ruling party rig them.” Read more here

● Foreign direct investment in Georgia decreased by 64% in the first quarter of this year, the lowest figure since the pandemic. More about leading investor countries and analysis here 

● “Clan rule” remains the main challenge for Georgia’s justice system, with issues often viewed through a lens of corporatism, according to a report by the influential NGO “Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association” (GYLA) following monitoring of the High Council of Justice from January 1 to December 31, 2023. Read more here

● Media reports indicate that the Russian military ship Project 22870 has arrived at the port of Ochamchire in Abkhazia. Satellite photos show that the ship was in Russia at the port of Novorossiysk on June 28 and was in Ochamchire on July 4-5. Navalnews writes that Project 22870 is a rescue vessel but can be used for military purposes, including transporting missile systems.

● Speakers of the ruling “Georgian Dream” party — Vato Shakarishvili, Nana Kakabadze, Gela Nikolaishvili, Bidzina Giorgobiani, and Levan Nikolaishvili — have founded a new public movement called “United Neutral Georgia.” “We want to help society develop in the right direction, so people think pragmatically, not with false political dogmas,” said the founders. They plan to eventually transform the movement into a political party that will participate in the 2028 parliamentary elections.

? Photos: 1. Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his Belgian colleague Hadja Lahbib; 2. Evening by the sea near Batumi.

● A trilateral meeting was held in Washington between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Ararat Mirzoyan and Jeyhun Bayramov, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Following the meeting, Foreign Minister Mirzoyan stated that “Armenia has the political will to sign a peace agreement with Azerbaijan in the near future.”

● Russia regrets Armenia’s participation in the NATO summit in Washington, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin. “By deepening cooperation with NATO, Yerevan risks seriously destabilizing the situation in the South Caucasus, to the detriment of its own security.”

● A photograph circulating on social media shows a wall being built in the village of Kirants on the border with Azerbaijan (see photo). There has been no official comment on whether this is true.

● Former employees of the National Security Service of the former unrecognized NKR will be employed by Armenia’s National Security Service by July 1, 2025. The project has already been approved by the parliamentary committee on defense and security issues.

● President Ilham Aliyev will visit Islamabad today at the invitation of Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Several agreements are expected to be signed.

● In Washington, a meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia was mediated by the U.S. Secretary of State. The parties noted progress towards a historic peace treaty and the establishment of intergovernmental relations, agreeing to continue their efforts.

● Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov discussed cooperation within Azerbaijan’s chairmanship at the international COP29 forum with Belgian counterpart Hadja Lahbib. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington. They also discussed the current state of the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

● Azerbaijani officer Seydulla Magerremov died in an accident, according to the Ministry of Defense. No details were provided.

● President Aliyev signed a decree to establish an Organizing Committee for the III CIS Games to be held in Azerbaijan in October 2025.

In the photo: The Old City in Baku (İçərişəhər)

● The European Union has frozen 30 million euros intended to be transferred from the European Peace Facility (EPF) to Georgia’s defense forces. The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, announced that the EU will first reduce its direct support to the Georgian government and will focus on strengthening civil society and the media. He also mentioned that the process of Georgia’s accession to the EU has been halted. Read more here

● “These decisions were made at the micro level within the EU and will not hinder Georgia’s path to European integration,” commented Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on the statements made by Ambassador Pawel Herczynski. “Cooperation between Georgia and the EU is based on the Association Agreement, and we are consistently and logically fulfilling our obligations,” said the minister.

● Matthew Miller, a representative of the U.S. State Department, commented on these EU decisions: “I think the EU has made it clear from the beginning that Georgia’s backsliding on democracy would have consequences. The U.S. has also repeatedly stated this. We oppose the persecution of dissent. This is a troubling pattern of behavior by the Georgian government, and we urge them to change it.”

● “Complete lies and absurdity,” said Matthew Miller, responding to a statement by the Russian intelligence service that the U.S. allegedly plans to change the regime in Georgia and that the Biden administration has prepared an information campaign to discredit the ruling party, Georgian Dream. “It’s quite ironic that such accusations come from a country currently occupying 20 percent of Georgia’s territory,” stated the U.S. State Department spokesperson during a briefing.

● Two opposition blocs have already been formed ahead of the parliamentary elections on October 26. Three parties – “Akhaly,” “Droa,” and “Girchi – More Freedom” – announced they are launching a joint election campaign and will participate in the elections with a unified list. Previously, two parties – “United National Movement” and “Strategy Agmashenebeli” – presented their bloc, called “Unity for the Salvation of Georgia.” Read more here

● Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who is also the secretary of the ruling party, ironically used a proverb when commenting on the opposition’s election blocs: “The dead are clinging to the dead.”

● “A clan-based approach persists in Georgia’s judicial system. The European Commission’s recommendations for comprehensive judicial reform are being superficially implemented,” states a report by the influential non-governmental organization, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), based on monitoring from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

● Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the ruling party, is not only the richest person in Georgia, but he has also ranked 369th among the 500 richest people on the planet, according to a new Bloomberg ranking. The publication reports that Ivanishvili’s wealth has significantly increased recently, reaching a record $7.3 billion.

● The Tbilisi City Hall warns that fake accounts of the mayor are spreading false information on his behalf on social media, urging people not to fall for these provocations.

In the photo, graffiti in Tbilisi, if read simultaneously in Georgian and Russian, forms a rhyming poem. The meaning: “Wait a little, everything will be fine!”

● The detention of journalist Hafiz Babali, arrested on smuggling charges in the “Abzas Media” case, has been extended until September 20. Analysis: “How Investigative Journalists are Hunted in Azerbaijan”

● Today, a trilateral meeting will be held in the USA between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Jeyhun Bayramov and Ararat Mirzoyan.

● “The time has come for Armenia to choose regional cooperation. Azerbaijan, as always, advocates for dialogue and peace,” stated Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. “New opportunities for establishing peace, stability, and cooperation have emerged in the region,” he added.

● Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to Iran in a phone conversation. The invitation was accepted.

● The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran will resume its activities within 15-20 days, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. The embassy’s activities were suspended after an armed attack on the diplomatic mission in January 2023.

● The OSCE PA has begun work on forming an observer mission for the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. On election day, the assembly will hold a press conference with the participation of mission leaders.

● Trilateral talks between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, with the participation of the U.S. Secretary of State, will take place in Washington.

● The Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie adopted a resolution on “The Rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Territorial Integrity of Armenia,” announced Arman Yeghoyan, head of the parliamentary commission on European integration, on social media. “The organization condemned Azerbaijan’s military invasion on September 19, 2023, the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage,” Yeghoyan reported.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke by phone with Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. The leaders agreed to meet soon at a convenient opportunity, according to the Armenian Prime Minister’s press secretary.

● Nine military commissars are accused of accepting bribes, with four of them arrested, reports the Anti-Corruption Committee. The case involves $50,000 for exemptions or deferrals from military service.

● Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was met with ovations at a creative evening in Yerevan, despite a group of people protesting to remind everyone of the sex scandal surrounding the actor (pictured). He talked about his films, answered questions, and even accepted gifts from fans.

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is attending the NATO 75th anniversary ceremony in Washington on July 9-10. Earlier, James O’Brien announced that Washington is preparing to organize a new meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

● Negotiations are underway with the US about possibly returning money to the Armenian treasury from the sale of a mansion belonging to former Armenian Finance Minister Gagik Khachatryan in Los Angeles. The Prosecutor General’s Office stated that this private home has been deemed criminal property by an American court and is subject to confiscation. Gagik Khachatryan is accused of embezzlement, misappropriation of property, and involvement in money laundering. The court seeks to recover 210 properties, 13 vehicles, and over 33 billion drams (approximately $85 million) from him, his sons, and others involved.

● USAID Chief Samantha Power has arrived in Yerevan. She will stay until July 11, meeting with the country’s leadership, as well as with business leaders, civil society, and the media.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a Security Council meeting to discuss reforms of the Armenian Armed Forces, including the transition to a unified automated control system. Biological security was also on the agenda.

● Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan and Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Speaker Sahiba Gafarova plan to meet in October in Geneva.

● A stadium made of prefabricated structures is set to be built in Yerevan. The new stadium will have a capacity of over 1,000 spectators.

● Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov will travel to Washington today to participate in the NATO summit.

● An OSCE/ODIHR observer mission will head to Baku to monitor the parliamentary elections scheduled for September 1.

● Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are conducting joint military exercises from July 8 to 17 in western Kazakhstan. About 4,000 military personnel and up to 700 units of weapons and military equipment are involved.

● Azerbaijan will launch an industrial zone with Russian companies in 2025, focusing primarily on the petrochemical industry, according to First Deputy Minister of Economy Elnur Aliyev.

● A mass fish die-off in the Caspian Sea near the villages of Govsan and Turkan on the outskirts of Baku is linked to decreased oxygen levels in the water due to high water temperatures, the Ministry of Ecology reported.

● An electric vehicle festival was held in Baku, timed to coincide with COP29, which will take place in the capital of Azerbaijan in November.

● President Salome Zurabishvili made a strong statement condemning Russia for its massive missile strikes on Ukraine, including a children’s hospital in Kyiv. The attacks resulted in 33 deaths and 140 injuries.

● Two opposition parties, the United National Movement (founded by Mikheil Saakashvili) and the “Strategy Aghmashenebeli,” announced the creation of a new political bloc to run in the parliamentary elections in October (pictured). The bloc is called “Unity for the Salvation of Georgia,” and its electoral number will be 5, a number long associated with the United National Movement. “The main goal is to find what unites us, not divides us, to win the elections and end Ivanishvili’s 12-year rule, and to join the European Union,” said UNM leader Tina Bokuchava. No other parties have announced plans to join the bloc so far.

● Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili is attending the NATO summit in Washington from July 9-11, including meetings with foreign ministers of partner countries. The public is closely watching the visit, as the US State Department and Department of Defense have previously announced a review of bilateral relations with Georgia “due to false accusations made by Georgian authorities against the US and other Western partners.”

● “A significant part of US cooperation with Georgia is currently under review. The suppression of civil society in Georgia and the passing of laws against fundamental freedoms are incompatible with the values on which the NATO alliance is based. We do not consider these actions compatible with Euro-Atlantic structures, including the European Union,” said Mike Carpenter, Special Assistant to President Joe Biden and head of the European division of the National Security Council, in an interview with the Georgian service of Radio Liberty.

● Pro-Kremlin bloggers in Russia are massively writing about how it is supposedly good for Georgia that the US has refused to participate in the traditional joint military exercises “Noble Partner” with Georgia, calling it the result of “smart actions by the Georgian government.” The US Department of Defense cited “false accusations by Georgian authorities that the US and the West are forcing Georgia to open a second front against Russia” as the reason for the refusal. Some quotes from well-known Z-bloggers: “Georgia has wised up and realized it should not follow Ukraine’s example”; “Tbilisi is ours, and we didn’t even need missiles”; “Maybe Georgia should conduct exercises with Russia.”

● A budget of 3 million lari (about $1.1 million) has been allocated to restore the famous Ikalto Monastery complex in the Kakheti region of eastern Georgia, which dates back to the 6th century. The Ikalto Academy, a scientific and religious center of Georgia, was located here in the 11th-12th centuries.

● An informal summit of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States was held in Shusha (photo). Presidents of Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus participated. Turkey was represented at the event by the Vice President due to Erdogan’s visit to Berlin. The summit’s leaders signed the Karabakh Declaration.

● “The Organization of Turkic States should become one of the world’s centers of power,” said President Ilham Aliyev. “Azerbaijan has always strived for the close cohesion of the Turkic world and the enhancement of its political, economic, and military power. The 21st century should be the century of prosperity for the Turkic world,” he said at the informal summit in Shusha.

● “The main condition for signing a lasting peace between Baku and Yerevan is the cessation of territorial claims against Azerbaijan enshrined in the Armenian Constitution,” said Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at the Organization of Turkic States meeting in Shusha.

● RussNeft has exited its production assets in Azerbaijan, which it had owned since the early 2000s. “In 2015, Azerbaijani media called GEA (RussNeft’s asset in the country) the largest foreign company engaged in onshore oil production in Azerbaijan. The holding owned five companies in the form of joint ventures and subsidiaries, developing 16 oil fields with reserves estimated at about 20 million tons,” reports Russian publication RBC. The reasons for the decision are not disclosed, but the company has long been divesting all its foreign assets and focusing on operations within Russia, RBC writes.

● The Azerbaijani football club “Qarabağ” has risen 14 positions in the world rankings. In the new list published by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), the team ranks 39th.

● A large amount of dead fish has washed ashore on the Baku coast of the Caspian Sea. The causes are currently unknown.

● The “Golden Apricot” International Film Festival opened in Yerevan. The honorary guest of the 21st festival is Hollywood actor and two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey. This year, organizers abandoned the traditional red carpet, replacing it with carpets made by local artisans based on designs by artist David Kochunts. The festival is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Sergey Parajanov and Charles Aznavour.

● The American University of Armenia canceled a creative meeting with Kevin Spacey under pressure from public organizations. They believe that Spacey, who has been accused of harassment, should not be honored or have his talent placed above moral values. Several NGOs are preparing to hold protests at the Cinema House, where the meeting with the Hollywood actor will take place.

● Yesterday, Armenia celebrated Vardavar, one of the most beloved holidays of the Armenian Apostolic Church – the Transfiguration of the Lord. On this day, it is customary to drench each other with water, symbolizing the cleansing of sins.

● The Ministry of Defense is conducting the traditional interagency military exercises “Partner – 2024”, but for the first time, no Western partners are participating. Last year, the exercises included the US and Lithuania. The US Department of Defense stated that American participation was postponed “as part of a review of bilateral relations between the countries, due to false accusations by the Georgian government against the US and other Western entities.” Representatives of the Georgian government have repeatedly claimed that America is governed by a certain “Global War Party” and passed the “foreign agents” law despite several warnings from Washington not to do so. However, the Georgian Defense Minister called the US decision not to participate in the exercises “incomprehensible.” Read more here

● “Bidzina Ivanishvili (oligarch, honorary chairman of the ruling party) wants to turn Georgia into an oasis of evading international sanctions for Russia and China. This is evidenced by the transfer of the port construction project in Anaklia to a Chinese company. This means that Georgia’s movement towards Europe will slow down, and the new generation will have to wait longer to live in a European, democratic country,” said Mark Mullen, former head of “Transparency International – Georgia” in an interview with the Georgian edition of “Radio Liberty”.

● Georgia bid farewell to the great violinist Liana Isakadze. She was 78 years old and had conducted orchestras in Austria, Finland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, France, and Spain. Her name is included in the encyclopedia “2,000 Outstanding Musicians of the 20th Century” by the International Biographical Center of Cambridge.

● The film “Panoptikum” by Georgian director Giorgi Sikharulidze has been awarded the Ecumenical Jury Prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. This is a joint production of Georgia, France, Italy, and Romania, set in Georgia in 2018. The main character is 16-year-old Sandro, who searches for his identity amidst both traditional and modern ideological and cultural norms, each of which can sometimes become radical.

● In Tbilisi, several people beat up a courier from the company “Glovo” after he delivered an order to them and then shot at him, presumably with an airgun. The young man underwent surgery in the hospital, and an investigation has been launched, but there are no reports of arrests in connection with the incident yet.

Top stories in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia from July 1-5, 2024