Latest news in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, summary. Live
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Monday, October 7, Georgia. The Mayor of Tbilisi accused the EU ambassador of interfering in the election campaign
● “Western ambassadors in Georgia are behaving inappropriately and directly interfering in the election campaign. They are making statements on direct orders,” said Kakha Kaladze, Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary-General of the ruling party. He was outraged by the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, calling the new election ads of the ruling Georgian Dream party “outrageous, shameful, and disgusting.” In Tbilisi, banners with two images – one of war-torn Ukrainian cities and another of Georgia’s blooming landmarks – are placed every 100 meters, with the slogan “We choose peace!” in large letters. Kaladze called on “international monitoring organizations to inform the world about the behavior of the EU ambassador and some other embassies in Georgia.” Similar claims about Western ambassadors meddling in the election campaign were made earlier by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and other leaders of the ruling party.
● Three TV channels – “Formula,” “TV Pirveli,” and “Mtavari” – continue to refuse to air ads featuring these banners. They say the ads mock the Ukrainian people who are under attack from Russia. Since all broadcasters are required to provide equal free advertising time to all parties (at least 7.5 minutes for every 3 hours of airtime), these channels face fines. This would be their second penalty after refusing in September to air another clip from the ruling party, which stated: “Say no to the moral degradation of society” alongside images of prominent civil society figures.
● Georgian IDPs from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, living abroad, will be able to vote in the October 26 parliamentary elections. Previously, they were not included on the voter lists, leading to debates with the Central Election Commission. It has now been decided that voters residing abroad whose registered address is not in an occupied territory will be added to special lists at polling stations. They must register with the consulate by October 7, which can also be done online via the consular service’s website. A valid Georgian ID or passport is required.
● President Salome Zourabichvili has suggested that the opposition start forming their “cabinet of ministers,” which they would propose if they win the parliamentary elections on October 26. She recommended excluding current politicians from the list.
● Leaders of the “Unity – National Movement” party were attacked and beaten during a meeting with voters in the village of Kardenakhi, in the Gurjaani district, Kakheti region. The party claims that the attackers were activists from the ruling Georgian Dream party. One of the injured, Levan Metreveli, was taken to the hospital.
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Monday, October 7, Azerbaijan. 40 MPs demand the termination of agreements with the US and the suspension of USAID projects
● Over 40 MPs have signed an appeal to Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, urging the termination of several agreements with the US and the suspension of USAID projects. They request measures to review Azerbaijan-US relations, including:
• Terminating existing agreements between Azerbaijan and the US,
• Immediately halting negotiations for new agreements or extensions of current ones,
• Closing all projects carried out by USAID and US NGOs in the country.● “Armenia must urgently address its clear territorial claim against Azerbaijan, embedded in its current constitution,” said the President’s Special Representative for Special Assignments, Elchin Amirbekov, in an interview with Faro di Roma and Eurasiaticanews. “The ball is in Armenia’s court today, and Baku hopes that this historic opportunity to turn a tragic page in relations between the two countries won’t be missed,” he added.
● “Armenia’s false propaganda calling for a boycott of COP29 in Baku is regrettable. Armenia is not interested in lasting peace and is trying to preserve the current situation as a fallback to restart aggression against Azerbaijan in the future. Armenia should refrain from making contradictory statements and provocative actions,” the Foreign Ministry stated.
● Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov flew to Moscow to attend the CIS Foreign Ministers Council meeting.
● The import and sale of electric vehicle charging devices in Azerbaijan will remain VAT-exempt for another two years.
● A new factory, whose foundation was laid in the Jabrayil region (returned to Azerbaijani control after the Second Karabakh War), will produce 24 million chicken eggs annually. In addition, it will host a feed mill with a capacity of 40 tons per hour and an incubator facility with an annual capacity of 24 million eggs.
● Prime Minister Ali Asadov issued a strict reprimand to the president of “Azerenerji,” Baba Rzaev, for violations related to the use of gas in the fuel-energy balance and exporting electricity without approval.
● Azerbaijani gymnast of Russian origin, Nikita Simonov, won a gold medal at the World Cup in Artistic Gymnastics Challenge Series. Simonov took first place in the rings exercise. The World Cup is being held in Sombathely, Hungary, from October 4-6.
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Monday, October 7, Armenia. Participants of the Slovenian theater in pink clothing were accused of satanism
● Participants of the movement led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan initiated a march to the Constitutional Court in protest against the Court’s decision to approve the regulations for delimitation commissions with Azerbaijan. The Archbishop urged the judges to come and explain their decision to the protesters. Galstanyan stated that “the authorities are trying to make all key structures—the Constitutional Court, the Prosecutor’s Office, the police, and even the ruling party—complicit in the lawlessness in the country.” During the protest, clashes occurred with the police.
● Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Armenia’s new ambassador to Russia, Gurgen Arsenyan, discussed Armenian-Russian relations and the regional situation.
● An incident involving a street performance by people in pink clothing in Charles Aznavour Square in Yerevan sparked public outrage. Journalist Nairi Khohikyan was one of the first to share a video, presenting the performance as “an obvious sermon of depravity and satanism.” Without detailing the events, some people began to insult and threaten the participants and organizers. However, it was actually an interactive performance called “Invasion,” presented by the group Lud from Slovenia, which has been showcased in 31 countries.
● The “Science Week” festival took place in Yerevan, where scientists showcased their achievements and demonstrated engineering innovations, including drones, robots, and 3D printers.
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Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from September 30-October 4, 2024