Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

● The 74th day of the nationwide pro-European protest ended on Sunday with another massive rally in front of the parliament in Tbilisi. The demands remain unchanged: new, fair parliamentary elections to legally change the government and the release of over 50 arrested protesters.

● Activists have announced a protest on February 18 under the slogan “Till the end!” It coincides with the birthday of Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s de facto ruler. Protesters plan to gather at 8:00 PM on Rustaveli Avenue to reaffirm their commitment to fair elections, the release of political prisoners, and a free country.

● Another protest is set for February 25, marking the anniversary of the 1921 Soviet invasion of Tbilisi. Organizers stress the importance of a large turnout to oppose any repetition of that history.

● A March 7 rally has also been announced, marking the 100th day of continuous protests. Activists demand an end to what they call an “occupation regime” and vow to resist any attempt to usurp power or establish a dictatorship.

● The interior ministry has listed nine protesters who will be penalized for violating assembly rules, including journalist Gela Mtivlishvili and singer Nino Katamadze. They face fines of 5,000 lari ($1,800) or up to 60 days in jail for participating in a January 26 protest outside a judge’s home over the detention of journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.

● The Federalist Party held its founding congress with 325 delegates. Giga Bokeria was elected party chairman, and his wife, Tamar Chergoleishvili, was chosen to lead the Tbilisi branch. The congress also selected 22 candidates for the political council.

● Salome Samadashvili, a leader of the opposition alliance “Strong Georgia,” criticized the party “Gakharia – For Georgia” for keeping its parliamentary mandates while boycotting the legislature. Three other opposition parties that won seats in October elections have relinquished their mandates, making parliament’s ability to function legally uncertain. “Georgian Dream” holds 89 seats, while “Gakharia – For Georgia” has 12.

●  Two central districts of Tbilisi, Vake and Saburtalo, lost gas supply due to damage to the main pipeline. The cause of the incident remains unknown.

Photo David Pipia / JAMnews

●  Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Bulgaria have agreed on the draft text of a four-party memorandum of understanding on green energy transmission cooperation during a deputy ministers’ meeting in Istanbul.

●  The Central Election Commission dismissed a complaint regarding the results of the January municipal elections. The complaint, concerning three polling stations in the Shabran-Khachmaz district (Ragimli municipality), alleged deliberate falsifications in the documents. However, the commission could not reach the candidate who filed the appeal and deemed the complaint unfounded.

●  A new bus route has been launched from Mingachevir to Shusha (Karabakh). A one-way ticket costs 5.5 manats (about $3.3), with stops in Khojaly and Khankendi (both in Karabakh).

●  In January 2025, six children from shelters in Azerbaijan were placed in foster families, while two were assigned to guardians. The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection also reported preventing 21 children from being placed in specialized institutions and reintegrating 14 children back into their families.

📸 The first snow of the season was spotted in parts of Baku on Sunday night. However, social media users called it just a “preview” since the capital did not see a significant snowfall.

●  Armenia and Azerbaijan held a meeting on missing persons at the border. Representatives from both countries’ commissions on prisoners of war, hostages, and missing persons participated, agreeing to continue bilateral discussions.

●  Georgian law enforcement expelled 37 foreigners from the country in January, including Armenian citizens, according to Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.

●  Armenia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case based on reports from the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Combine about strike calls by a group of employees. The case was initiated under Article 460, Part 1 of the Criminal Code (arbitrariness). Read more here

●  A man smashed the side window of Bus No. 31 during a dispute over fare payment (video available). He was taken to the police station, and a criminal case was opened.

●  Evdokia Esayan, a 100-year-old resident of Krasnodar and a WWII home front veteran, has been awarded the “80 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War” medal by the Russian president.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 3-7 February, 2025