Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 23-25 September, 2026

● EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos said the EU has decided to open its market to almost 80% of Armenian goods, “from apricots and cherries to tomatoes and cut flowers”. “We want to offer Armenian farmers and producers new opportunities after Russia restricted access to its market following Armenia’s democratic choice and its desire to move closer to Europe. This includes famous Armenian lavash. Last year, I visited a traditional bakery and saw how it is made. It is delicious. The next time you go shopping, look out for Armenian products. A small choice in your shopping basket can help Armenian farmers and producers, while also supporting the Armenian people’s right to choose their own future,” Kos wrote on social media.

● Foreign Minister and Minister of International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan posted a message on X thanking the EU for the decision. “This is a powerful sign of solidarity and support, as well as another milestone in Armenia–EU partnership, in line with the declaration adopted at our summit and the strategic agenda,” Mirzoyan wrote.

● In his address to the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said, among other things:

• The fate of several thousand missing people must be resolved in relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. An agreement on cooperation on this issue has been reached with Azerbaijan.

• Armenia expects the return of Armenians detained in Azerbaijan as a result of the conflict.

• Armenia will soon restore railway sections on its border with Azerbaijan — in Meghri and Yeraskh — that existed during the Soviet period but were later destroyed.

• Armenia expects railway connections between Armenia and Turkey to open.

• The framework agreement on strategic cooperation between Armenia and the United States concerning the TRIPP project will soon be ratified by Armenia’s National Assembly.

• Armenia’s parliamentary elections in June took place amid an alleged plan by several external and internal forces to seize control of the state, alongside widespread disinformation and voter bribery.

● Nikol Pashinyan said from the UN podium: “Relations between Armenia and Russia are undergoing a transformation, and this is a natural process. Throughout the previous period, the most significant factor affecting Armenian-Russian relations was the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Now that we have established peace with Azerbaijan, relations between Armenia and Russia will naturally change. Our desire is for these relations to develop on the basis of friendship and mutual respect.”

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The ministers stressed the importance of peace between the two countries. Particular attention was paid to the mutual opening of economic and transport infrastructure. Trade and transit cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan was highlighted as a practical example of the benefits of peace. The ministers agreed to continue direct dialogue.

● Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan would visit Moscow soon, although the exact date had not yet been agreed. Peskov reiterated that Moscow respects Armenia’s sovereign rights, but said the country remains part of the integration process within the Eurasian Economic Union, led by Russia.

● Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Oleg Salyukov criticised statements by Armenian officials about transitioning the army to NATO standards. “These statements are currently more declarative and political in nature. A genuine transition is a lengthy and complex process requiring substantial budgetary spending, with unclear implications for Armenia’s security,” Salyukov said.

● Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin discussed cooperation between Moscow and Yerevan within Eurasian integration organisations with Armenia’s ambassador to Moscow, Gurgen Arsenyan, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said. “The parties reaffirmed their mutual readiness for further substantive discussions on the prospects of Russian-Armenian relations within the framework of intergovernmental dialogue,” the ministry said.

● Aluminium foil has already been exported from Armenia to Azerbaijan, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said. He did not specify the volume of deliveries. Asked whether other goods would also be exported to Azerbaijan, he briefly replied: “We’ll see.”

● Security Council Secretary Alen Simonyan commented on media discussions about a lack of progress in normalising relations with Turkey and reopening the border. “The process has not stopped, but it has slowed down. I largely attribute this to the completion of the processes that previously existed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. In my assessment, this is clearly a matter for the near future. We passed the point of no return in terms of peace a long time ago, and there is no reason to believe that the issue of opening the border with Turkey will not be resolved or will be delayed further. “Turkey is working to restore infrastructure, meetings are taking place, and our entrepreneurs are travelling there. In short, this is a process showing positive momentum,” Simonyan said.

● Alen Simonyan also commented on statements from Russia about plans to raise the price of gas supplied to Armenia. “Discussions are under way with everyone who can help Armenia diversify its gas sources. If possible, we will buy gas from Azerbaijan and Iran. We will shift to electricity, strengthen nuclear energy and develop solar power. In the near future, we will open the border with Turkey, establish full diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan, achieve peace and cooperation between the countries of the region in all areas — economic and political — and complete the delimitation and demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan. “Everything is going very well because Armenia finally has peace and a democratic government,” Simonyan said.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met in New York.

● During the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Nikol Pashinyan met UN Secretary-General António Guterres. They stressed the importance of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), which will be held in Armenia in October.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met Conor Coleman, head of investment at the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). They discussed implementation of the TRIPP transit project, including investment volumes. They agreed to continue discussions on cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture and education.

● Foreign Minister and Minister of International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan attended a US government-organised event titled “Prosperity through Peace: Investing in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route and TRIPP”. More details here.

● EU ambassadors visited Armenia’s southernmost region to learn about programmes creating new opportunities and prospects for residents of border communities.

● Siranush Sahakyan, the representative at the European Court of Human Rights for the interests of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, criticised a statement by Azerbaijan’s ombudswoman Sabina Aliyeva. Aliyeva called “unfounded” claims about restrictions and harsh prison conditions previously made by Ruben Vardanyan, a convicted former state minister of the former unrecognised Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. “If Ruben Vardanyan’s claims are indeed ‘unfounded’, the answer is simple: present documents for every Armenian prisoner covering family visits, consular access, telephone call logs, written responses to their requests, records of notarial services and access to independent legal counsel. An unequivocal denial, however forceful, is not evidence,” Sahakyan said.

● The Office of Public Relations of the Prime Minister published a report titled “On the crisis in the Armenian Apostolic Church resulting from the activities of the de facto head of the Church and a number of senior clergymen, and ways to resolve it”. The report was prepared as part of the Armenian government’s 2026–2031 programme, on the prime minister’s instructions. Its authors stress that it addresses alleged violations of the Church’s doctrinal foundations and canonical order. The report also states that Church reform should be carried out by the Church itself, with the participation of its hierarchy and believers, while the state should act within its legal powers.

● The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin issued a response, calling the government report “unconstitutional, uncanonical and unlawful”. “The report is based on accusations and defamatory claims published on social media and in the media, and represents political persecution, vindictiveness and reprehensible interference in the internal affairs of the Church,” the statement said.

● The Defence Ministry confirmed that a contract serviceman was killed in an explosion at one of its military units. The cause remains unknown.

● Employees of the Anti-Corruption Committee will receive bonuses totalling almost $240,000 to mark the fifth anniversary of the institution’s establishment.

Photo: Swedish Ambassador to Armenia Eva Sündkvist during a visit to the Meghri mountain pass in Armenia’s southern Syunik province

● The second international investment forum, held under the patronage of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, opened in Baku today. The theme is “Restoring trust in a fragmented world: The South Caucasus as a pillar of global interconnectedness and investment stability”. Leading investors and business leaders from around the world are expected to attend. At the first forum, held in September last year, investment agreements worth more than $10 billion were signed, including over $7 billion in the non-oil sector.

● The eighth EU–Azerbaijan Business Forum will be held in Baku on October 21. Its main theme is “Connecting corridors: Interconnectivity and infrastructure”. The forum will mark 30 years of partnership between the European Union and Azerbaijan, as well as the 10th anniversary of the first such business forum in Baku, held in 2016.

● Imprisoned activist Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison, has published an open letter criticising the “silence of the United States and European Union despite an unprecedented wave of persecution of civil society leaders, human rights defenders and journalists in Azerbaijan since 2022”. Hajiyev says more than 300 people are currently classified as political prisoners, with their combined prison sentences exceeding 2,000 years. “Yet the US and EU …… do not even issue general statements on the importance of respecting human rights in Azerbaijan,” he writes. He argues that the reason for this silence is that the Azerbaijani government has convinced its Western partners that complete domestic political stability is necessary ahead of a peace agreement with Armenia. “Azerbaijani authorities often say they ignore international calls. However, 32 Armenian-origin soldiers and officers were released ahead of COP29 in Baku. A group of Armenian citizens was then released. And, most recently, French citizen Martin Ryan, who had been accused of espionage, was unexpectedly pardoned. This proves that the government responds when faced with public calls,” Hajiyev writes. He calls on the United States and European Union to take decisive action on behalf of political prisoners, whom he describes as “prisoners of peace with Armenia”.

Hajiyev was arrested in December 2022 and charged with smuggling, tax evasion and other offences. He denies the charges and says he is being persecuted for political reasons. Read more here

● Statements by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov at a US Chamber of Commerce roundtable held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly:

• Development of the strategic partnership with the United States following the historic 2025 Washington summit attended by the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia and Donald Trump. The first US–Azerbaijan Economic Dialogue Forum resulted in more than 10 signed agreements and commercial partnerships worth over $8 billion. Joint working groups on trade, energy, artificial intelligence and transport connectivity are actively operating.

• Progress in the Azerbaijan–Armenia peace process following the initialling of a peace agreement at the Washington summit, including the removal of transit restrictions and the launch of direct bilateral trade ties.

• The TRIPP transit project, known as the “Trump Route”, will not only provide unobstructed land connectivity between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave, but also significantly strengthen regional connectivity and economic integration.

• Azerbaijan’s strategic role as a regional hub along the Middle Corridor and in the global Digital Silk Road project.

● Statements by Jeyhun Bayramov at the annual ministerial meeting of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly:

• Azerbaijan has successfully transformed its geographic position into a key logistics hub connecting the East–West and North–South corridors.

• Connecting transport and energy infrastructure globally is creating a more resilient trade architecture in the region and around the world. He cited the Central Asia–Azerbaijan Green Energy Corridor as an example.

• Simplifying customs procedures and digitisation are necessary for effective operations.

• Peace is an absolute prerequisite for sustainable connectivity. Agreements signed between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2025, along with the TRIPP transit project, are crucial in this regard.

● Moldova is interested in importing gas and petroleum products from Azerbaijan, as well as exploring opportunities in renewable energy, Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi said at a meeting with Jeyhun Bayramov. These opportunities will be discussed at a meeting of the intergovernmental commission on bilateral economic cooperation, which will be held in Chisinau by the end of the year. The foreign ministers also discussed the consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine for Moldova.

● Azerbaijan will help three small island states each year prepare nominations for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Guinea-Bissau, Palau and the Dominican Republic will be the first participants in the programme. The initiative was presented at a session of the UN General Assembly.

● Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda has arrived in Azerbaijan.

● Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan are continuing discussions on establishing a joint merchant fleet, said Jasurbek Choriev, head of the intergovernmental commission for the TRACECA regional transit project. The Uzbek-Azerbaijani investment company will provide 49% of the project’s financing, while the remaining funds will come from Uzbek company O‘ztemiryo‘lkargo and Azerbaijan’s AZCON. Construction of three new vessels at Baku Shipyard is nearing completion, and they are expected to be ready for operation by the end of the year. The possibility of purchasing second-hand cargo vessels is also being assessed. One of the vessels could be a vehicle carrier owned by Georgian GIG Holding founder David Bezhuashvili, Choriev said.

● Ten investment projects worth a total of $389 million have been launched between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, Jasurbek Choriev said. They include the construction of a network of petrol stations operated by Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR in Uzbekistan, as well as a four-hectare Azerbaijan Park in Tashkent.

● State-owned company AzerGold said that over the past 10 years it had discovered two new gold deposits in Azerbaijan, commissioned four gold mines and opened a new regional industrial complex.

● Work on the demarcation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border will resume soon, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan told journalists.

● The 10th Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix set a tourism record, with more than 16,000 international spectators travelling to Baku for the race, compared with 14,000 last year. Fans from more than 120 countries purchased tickets for this year’s Grand Prix. The races began on September 24 and will conclude tomorrow, September 26.

● The ongoing expansion of Baku’s Seaside Boulevard and the green belt along the Caspian coast aims to connect the city with the sea through a large public space, said Khanlar Agalarov, head of the Seaside Boulevard Administration, in an interview with Report news agency and ARB television. The boulevard will serve as a corridor connecting currently separated parts of Baku. Expanding the green belt will also affect the city’s microclimate, air quality and biodiversity, Agalarov said.

Photo by Zulfugar Karimov

● Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili called on the European Union to reconsider its decision on the “unilateral suspension” of the integration process with Georgia. He said confrontation between Tbilisi and Brussels was the wrong approach and that relations should return to dialogue. On the same day, Papuashvili sharply criticised EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski, describing his Georgian as “broken”. The integration process was suspended after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the decision on 28 November 2024.

● Eka Gigauri, head of Transparency International Georgia, called on Western partners to take a clearer position towards the Georgian authorities. She said explicit demands for the release of political prisoners and targeted sanctions were needed. Gigauri describes the Georgian government as a “Russian oligarchic government” and urges partners not to leave citizens “alone against this regime”.

● Opposition party United National Movement announced a rally in Tbilisi on 1 October in support of the party’s founder, imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili. According to the party, the rally will be held near the building known as “The Jugs” on Rike Square.

● The Georgian Patriarchate expressed concern over ongoing work at the Georgian Church of St George in Qumukh, Azerbaijan. According to the Patriarchate, the purpose of the work is unclear, and the reconstruction plans were not coordinated with the Georgian side. It called on relevant authorities to respond.

● A march titled “Abkhazia is Georgia, glory to the heroes” will take place in Tbilisi on 27 September. The event is linked to the commemoration of the fall of Sokhumi in 1993, when Georgian forces retreated from Abkhazia during the Georgian-Abkhaz war. Here is a timeline of the Georgian-Abkhaz war compiled jointly by Georgian and Abkhaz conflict researchers.

●  Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov spoke at the “Prosperity through Peace: Investing in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route and TRIPP” event, organised by the US government on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan also took part.

Bayramov highlighted the importance of the TRIPP transit project, which envisages creating seamless multimodal transport links between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenia.

He said TRIPP also has significant potential to develop regional energy links. Bayramov praised US efforts to implement TRIPP and expressed gratitude for its support.

He also highlighted Azerbaijan’s investment in developing a transport and logistics hub around the Port of Baku and the Alat Free Economic Zone.

Bayramov stressed the need for stronger coordination among regional partners, citing joint programmes by Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Türkiye and Georgia to develop regional transport links as a positive example.

●  Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session with the foreign ministers of Iraq, France, Serbia, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Belarus and the Central African Republic.

●  Azerbaijan and the Dominican Republic signed agreements on visa-free travel and political consultations.

● Azerbaijan and the Central African Republic signed a communiqué establishing diplomatic relations. The document was described as historic and as opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries.

● Jeyhun Bayramov met International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric in New York. They discussed, among other issues, the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process and the urgent need to clarify the fate of missing persons. Bayramov stressed the importance of dialogue with the ICRC and reaffirmed Azerbaijan’s commitment to international humanitarian law and its principles.

● Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed full support for positive momentum in normalising bilateral trade and transport ties with Armenia. He made the statement during a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly. Erdoğan invited Pashinyan to the COP31 Leaders’ Summit in Türkiye. The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers of the two countries, Hakan Fidan and Ararat Mirzoyan. The sides also positively assessed mutual steps in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.

● Trade and investment between China and Azerbaijan are expected to reach record levels in 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Azerbaijan Lu Mei said. She also said the volume of cargo transported this year via the China-Europe rail express route through Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea is expected to double.

● French citizen Martin Ryan has been released from prison under an amnesty signed by the president. The list includes 20 people — 15 Azerbaijani citizens and five foreign nationals. Ryan, former CEO of Baku-based company Merkorama, was sentenced to 10 years in March on espionage charges. He denied the charges. In his final statement, Ryan said he had come to Azerbaijan for business in 2015 and had never engaged in espionage. France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs called his release a step towards normalising relations. More on the case and his release here.

● Azerbaijan’s RFE/RL service quoted Saida Bananjarli, a member of an international human rights monitoring group, as saying: “We would like to see a decree on mass pardons. We would like to see many people of public interest released.” Local and international experts estimate that Azerbaijan has more than 300 political prisoners, including more than 30 journalists and media editors.

● A number of Azerbaijani civil society organisations issued a statement calling on the Council of Europe and its member states to “respond decisively to the systematic violation by the Azerbaijani government of its obligations arising from membership in the organisation, as well as threats to withdraw from it”. According to RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani service, the statement says: “The repression that has intensified since 2022 has led to an unprecedented human rights crisis in Azerbaijan. The country ranks first among member states in terms of failure to implement European Court of Human Rights judgments. Sixty-eight percent of the court’s judgments remain unimplemented.” The organisations called for the release of people recognised as political prisoners in Azerbaijan.

Context: In January 2024, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe refused to ratify the credentials of Azerbaijan’s delegation, citing the country’s failure to fulfil its obligations and the deteriorating human rights situation. In response, Baku banned PACE members who voted for the decision from entering Azerbaijan. Since then, Azerbaijan has not sent a delegation to the Assembly. Azerbaijan has also failed to implement European Court of Human Rights judgments. Earlier this year, President Ilham Aliyev said: “Since we do not participate in the election of judges to the European Court of Human Rights, the court’s decisions have no binding force for us.”

● Estonia’s new ambassador, Tiina Nirk, praised Azerbaijan’s humanitarian assistance to Ukraine during a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. They discussed the potential for expanding bilateral cooperation in many areas. Aliyev highlighted the prospects for developing relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union, citing visits to Baku this year by European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

● Azerbaijan has sharply increased customs duties on exports of screws, bolts and nuts. The duty on every 1,000 kg of these goods exported from the country has risen from $15 to $300. The government has not officially explained the reason for the measure.

● The Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix starts today in Baku. The Baku City Circuit has 20 turns and 51 laps, with a total race distance of 306.049 km. The first race in the Azerbaijani capital was held in 2016 as the European Grand Prix. For the following seven years, it was held as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Several schools in central Baku have switched to online classes for the three days of racing. Traffic restrictions and changes to bus routes were also introduced several days before the event, causing difficulties for residents. More here.

● Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met at the Turkish House in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. They stressed the importance of advancing the process of normalising relations between the two countries and their readiness to give it new momentum. They also highlighted the need to boost trade and economic ties, build links between business communities, and implement a project to jointly restore the historic bridge in the Turkish city of Ani. The leaders welcomed the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and expressed confidence that it would significantly contribute to regional cooperation. In this context, they highlighted the TRIPP transit project and other regional communications.

● Recep Tayyip Erdoğan invited Nikol Pashinyan to the COP31 Leaders’ Summit, which will be held in Türkiye.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in New York. They stressed the importance of EU support for Armenia’s economic diversification and the effective implementation of democratic reforms. Von der Leyen said the European Union would continue supporting the Armenian government.

● Nikol Pashinyan held meetings in New York with the presidents of Iran and Romania, the prime minister of Greece, and the secretary general of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, which was previously awarded to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

● Before his official meetings, Pashinyan started the day with a 36-kilometre bike ride (video).

● US President Donald Trump sent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan a congratulatory message marking the 35th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. “We made history together over a little more than one year. Your commitment to peace will create enormous opportunities for Armenia, the United States and the region. The shared values of our peoples continue to serve as the foundation of friendship between our two countries. I congratulate the Armenian people and your government,” the letter said.

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. They discussed the importance of developing regional infrastructure and expanding multimodal transport.

● Ararat Mirzoyan also met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani.

● On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas. They stressed the importance of integrating Armenia into regional transport networks.

● Iranian Ambassador Khalil Shirgholami said that “for Iran and Armenia, as traditional partners, it is crucial to be able to build cooperation taking into account the new directions of Armenia’s foreign policy.” “We believe Iran, the European Union and European countries have much in common in their approaches to preserving peace and stability in the region, as well as regarding relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” he said.

● The Interior Ministry has proposed exempting people from military service if they instead work for the same period in the rescue service or police. The draft also proposes granting students enrolled at Interior Ministry educational institutions under state-funded places a deferment for the entire period of their studies.

● As part of celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, Armenian Culture Days will be held in Georgia. The concert will feature renowned Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, winner of the First Prize at the 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition, performing Dvořák’s famous Cello Concerto.

● Tour operator RZD Tour has announced the launch of a Armenia-Georgia railway cruise. The three-day, two-night trip will run between Yerevan and Tbilisi. During the journey, the train will serve both as transport and accommodation. Tourists will go on excursions during the day, while the train will continue to the next destination at night. The first trip is scheduled for October 30.

●  Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended a reception and dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump. According to Georgia’s Foreign Ministry, the Georgian delegation is taking part in various high-level events during the UN General Assembly, with meetings also planned with the heads of international organisations, including the UN and Council of Europe secretaries general.

●  Irakli Kobakhidze took part in a closed panel discussion hosted by Finnish President Alexander Stubb on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The meeting focused on peace, conflict prevention and the peaceful resolution of disputes. According to the government administration, Kobakhidze spoke about Russia’s occupation of 20% of Georgia’s territory and stressed the importance of state sovereignty, international law and diplomatic tools.

●  Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili met OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioğlu in New York. They discussed cooperation within the organisation, the regional security situation and the OSCE’s role in the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

●  Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili travelled to Luxembourg on an official visit after visiting Belgium. According to parliament, he is scheduled to hold a one-on-one meeting with the Speaker of Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies, followed by an expanded-format meeting. The delegation also includes ruling-party MPs Nikoloz Samkharadze, Levan Makashvili and Davit Matikashvili.

●  Georgian opposition figure Giorgi Gakharia, who has left the country and lives in Germany, has responded to a lawsuit filed by the ruling Georgian Dream party with the Constitutional Court seeking to ban his For Georgia party. Gakharia said the lawsuit is still not public and has not been made available to the party. He said it was “interesting” what charges the government would bring against a party that considers elections the only peaceful way to change the government. Gakharia has called the potential accusations “fabricated” and referred to the government as the “Ivanishvili regime”.

●  Georgia’s Social Justice Center has filed another complaint with the European Court of Human Rights concerning Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov. The case concerns Sadigov’s administrative prosecution and deportation to Azerbaijan in April 2026 over a Facebook post. The organisation says his freedom of expression and right to a fair trial were violated. According to the centre, after his return to Azerbaijan, the criminal case against Sadigov was reopened and he was remanded in pre-trial detention.

●  The prosecution is seeking life imprisonment for Giorgi Papashvili in the case of the murder of 22-year-old Tamaz Mtvlishvili. The prosecutor said the evidence presented in court confirms Papashvili’s guilt. He is accused of the particularly brutal murder of Mtvlishvili in February 2025. Papashvili left Georgia and was arrested in Russia after an international search was issued.

●  Water supplies to around 80,000 customers in Tbilisi, Mtskheta and several surrounding settlements will be cut off for 36 hours, from 3 a.m. on September 26 until 3 p.m. on September 27. The interruption is linked to the connection of a new water pipeline as part of construction of a new bridge over the Aragvi River. The company plans to supply residents with drinking water by tanker trucks.

●  Traffic around Dinamo Arena will be restricted on September 25 and 28 due to Georgia national football team matches. Georgia will play Northern Ireland on September 25 in a match without spectators. Ukraine will be Georgia’s opponent on September 28.

●  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan spoke at a panel discussion during the annual Concordia Summit, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. “Armenia is focused on implementing the Trump Route project, TRIPP. As a result, the country will fully open up to regional infrastructure, while it has effectively been under blockade since the early 1990s. First and foremost, we will establish a railway connection with Azerbaijan. We are also eagerly awaiting the opening of Armenia’s border with Turkey, as well as the railway connection between Armenia and Turkey. More broadly, this will transform international logistics, as the international community will gain a new route, a new link between East and West,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

●  Nikol Pashinyan at the same forum: “Armenia has established a strategic partnership with the United States. In addition to TRIPP, we have jointly opened an artificial intelligence factory in Armenia. Armenia has also established a strategic partnership with the European Union. In 2025, parliament passed a law initiating the process of Armenia’s accession to the European Union. “But there is a very important nuance. The government’s policy is also aimed at diversifying political and economic ties. We have established a strategic partnership with China as well. Armenia is pursuing a balanced and counterbalancing foreign policy.”

●  Nikol Pashinyan: Armenia is discussing the construction of a new nuclear power plant with the United States, Russia, China, France and South Korea.

●  Kristinne Grigoryan, head of Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, attended the fourth Baku Security Forum. She returned from Baku to Yerevan yesterday evening but did not answer questions from journalists who met her at the airport.

●  On the sidelines of the Concordia Summit, Armenia’s ambassador to the United States, Narek Mkrtchyan, met with US Representative Joe Wilson. According to Mkrtchyan, they discussed the bilateral agenda, the situation in the region and the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

●  The United States has invested $1.1 million in the construction of a new fire station in the Armenian town of Yeghegnadzor.

●  During her visit to Brussels, Ombudswoman Anahit Manasyan met with representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. Manasyan spoke about the need for additional institutional guarantees in Armenia to ensure the full, independent and effective functioning of the human rights defender’s office. The prospects for further cooperation between Armenia and the EU in this area were also discussed.

●  Narek Karapetyan, head of the parliamentary faction of the pro-Russian opposition party Strong Armenia, and faction member and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Aram Vardevanyan met with David Allen, the US Chargé d’Affaires in Armenia. The faction’s representatives shared their views on the Armenia-Azerbaijan settlement process and the TRIPP transit project. The party said that the MPs also “expressed concern over certain ongoing democratic processes in Armenia”.

●  Donald Trump quoted the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan while discussing the peace process between the two countries. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Trump described the settlement as one of eight conflicts he said had been resolved with his involvement. “President Ilham Aliyev said that President Trump had achieved an absolute miracle in six months, something no one thought possible. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the breakthrough achieved would not have been possible without Trump’s personal involvement and firm commitment to peace. Personal relationships with the leaders, trade, tariffs and the threat of imposing them helped achieve these agreements,” Trump said.

●  A delegation from the Central Bank of Armenia took part in a discussion among the heads of regional central banks in Tbilisi. The participants discussed monetary policy amid large capital flows and geopolitical risks.

●  The Central Bank of Armenia and the National Bank of Georgia signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the financial sector. The agreement aims to strengthen the resilience of the countries’ financial systems, improve transparency and the sustainability of the financial sector, and protect the legitimate interests of depositors and investors.

●  The Television and Radio Commission fined the radio companies Radio House, Autoradio and Noah’s Ark for failing to meet the required percentage of Armenian-language audiovisual programming. Under the Law on Audiovisual Media, Armenian-language programmes must account for at least 55% of a broadcaster’s total airtime.

●  The governments of Armenia and China signed an agreement on international road passenger and freight transport.

●  The Ministry of Environment has submitted for public discussion a draft proposal to introduce a temporary ban on the export of whitefish roe. The measure is intended to allow an assessment of the natural reproduction of whitefish in Lake Sevan in 2025–2026 and to clarify the timing of the spawning season.

●  Armenia has important prerequisites for developing medical tourism, Economy Minister Gevorg Papoyan said during the opening ceremony of an international medical tourism conference in Yerevan.

●  Grape growers in Kakheti have ended their protests after the government changed the conditions for accepting the grape harvest. The minimum sugar content requirement was lowered from 17% to 16%, while the price for grapes with sugar content below 16% was increased from 30 to 50 tetri. The price of Saperavi grapes will range from 1 to 1.50 lari per kilogram (around 50–60 US cents), depending on sugar content, while other varieties will cost between 90 tetri and 1.30 lari. The price difference for grapes already delivered will be recalculated and paid to farmers. Levan Mekhuzla, head of the National Wine Agency, explained that the requirement was lowered because of the heavy rainfall this year.

● The state grants management agency has been allocated 1.65 million lari (around $640,000) from the 2026 budget. However, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has announced that the agency will be closed by the end of the year. It employs 16 people. The agency was established in 2025 after a requirement was introduced for the government to approve any funding coming from abroad, while NGOs were required to register as organisations representing foreign interests. Last year, the state agency awarded grants to 17 local organisations.

● The Council of Europe has issued a clarification regarding an investigation into the financial activities of the Tbilisi School of Political Studies. According to the Financial Transparency Department of the Audit Office, there was suspicion that the organisation had held a seminar funded by a Council of Europe grant without obtaining approval from the Georgian government. The Council of Europe said it had neither transferred a grant nor paid fees to the organisers. According to the organisation, the seminar held on 18–19 September was directly funded by the organisation itself as part of its project, while the Tbilisi School of Political Studies acted only as a partner and host.

Earlier, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili made a statement about “a scheme that could have been used to circumvent the requirements of the foreign grants law”. More details here.

● According to Transparency International Georgia, a significant proportion of donors to the political party People’s Power, which is widely regarded as an ally of the ruling party, had previously financed Georgian Dream. The report says that between 2024 and August 2026, People’s Power received 861,750 lari (approximately $333,000) from 28 individuals. Meanwhile, 21 of them had previously donated a combined 1,969,169 lari (approximately $770,000) to Georgian Dream, while three continue to fund both parties. According to the TI study, individuals connected to members of the family of Georgian Dream honorary chairman and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, as well as his close business associates, donated 381,000 lari (approximately $146,000) to People’s Power. Based on these findings, the organisation considers People’s Power “part of Ivanishvili’s political network”. More details here.

● Convicted former President Mikheil Saakashvili said he considers the ongoing public debate over whether opposition parties that entered parliament should boycott its sessions or actively participate in its work to be pointless. Saakashvili suggested “looking at Russia and seeing that following the rules established by the government in such a system will not produce results”. “We need to turn the situation around, and then we will achieve everything,” Saakashvili wrote.

● Azerbaijan does not recognise the so-called presidential elections held in the Tskhinvali region or their results. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry once again reaffirmed its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York. The discussions covered strategic partnership, trade, transport and energy cooperation. The Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway was also discussed. According to the government press release, the railway has been fully commissioned.

● Irakli Kobakhidze also attended the Multilateral Partnership Summit held as part of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly. In his speech, he discussed Russia’s occupation of 20% of Georgia’s territory, peaceful conflict resolution and cooperation in the South Caucasus. Kobakhidze welcomed the progress made in the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process and highlighted opportunities for trade and the development of transport infrastructure in the region.

● On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Irakli Kobakhidze met with Swiss Foreign Minister and current OSCE Chair-in-Office Ignazio Cassis. The discussions reportedly covered bilateral relations and the issue of Georgia’s territories occupied by Russia. Kobakhidze thanked Switzerland for its support for Georgia’s territorial integrity and its role as a mediator between Tbilisi and Moscow. Ignazio Cassis plans to visit Georgia in October.

● Irakli Kobakhidze attended the opening of the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. His speech is scheduled for 24 September.

● Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has travelled to Brussels with a parliamentary delegation. According to parliament, he is scheduled to meet with the presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Representatives of the Belgian Federal Parliament. The delegation also includes MPs from the ruling party: Nikoloz Samkharadze, Levan Makhashvili and Davit Matikashvili.

● Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili participated in the annual Concordia Summit in New York. She said, among other things, that Georgia’s desire to cooperate with various partners does not change the country’s aspiration to join the European Union.

● An enhanced sanitary regime has been introduced in Tbilisi’s public kindergartens following widespread cases of intoxication attributed to the spread of norovirus. Cases were recorded in 20 different kindergartens, and the number of people seeking medical assistance exceeded 100. Seven kindergartens have suspended operations. The measures include disinfecting kindergarten premises every two hours. Milk, sour cream and cottage cheese have also been temporarily removed from the menu. The epidemiological service explained that this was a preventive measure and that dairy products had not been identified as the source of the infection. Most of those affected have already recovered, with no complications reported. The specific source of the infection is still being established.

● The father of 20-year-old footballer Vakhtang Charkviani, who died during the coronavirus pandemic, has launched a continuous protest outside the Prosecutor’s Office, demanding a meeting with the Prosecutor General. Gaioz Charkviani considers the investigation into his son’s death ineffective and has accused doctors of wrongdoing. The Prosecutor’s Office said criminal proceedings had been launched against three people. According to the authorities, two doctors are accused of violating COVID-19 treatment protocols, while the senior intensive care nurse is accused of falsifying medical records. Court rulings have already been issued in all three cases, including two in which an amnesty was applied.

● The Tbilisi City Court found Megis Kardava, former head of military police under the Saakashvili government, guilty of embezzling more than 768,000 lari (approximately $300,000) from the state budget. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the case concerns ten instances of embezzlement involving funds from the Defence Ministry in 2011–2012. The court sentenced Kardava to 11 years in prison, but under the 2012 amnesty law, the sentence was reduced to five years and six months. Kardava has other convictions and has described the prosecution against him as politically motivated.

● Six minors have been arrested in Tbilisi on charges relating to several cases of theft and robbery. Three of them had previously been convicted. According to investigators, they stole money and goods from pharmacies and shops. One is also accused of stealing a motorcycle, another of stealing a minibus, and a third of stealing a phone from a foreign national. According to the investigation, the damage exceeds 30,000 lari (approximately $12,000). All six defendants have been sentenced to imprisonment.

● The Interior Ministry has arrested alleged criminal underworld figures Giorgi and Davit Peikrishvili, along with another person, on charges of group violence and extortion. According to the ministry, Giorgi Peikrishvili demanded a large sum of money from a citizen in exchange for so-called “criminal protection” and threatened to kill him if he did not pay. In a separate case, Davit Peikrishvili and his bodyguard are accused of beating a young man as part of a group assault. An investigation is underway.

● In recent days, 83 foreign nationals have been deported from Georgia, including citizens of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenia, China, India, Iraq and other countries. According to official information, more than 3,000 foreign nationals have been deported from Georgia in 2026.

● Since the beginning of the year, car imports into Georgia have declined by 9.9% in volume, while re-exports have fallen by 20.5%. Over the first eight months of the year, 146,458 vehicles worth $2.364 billion were imported into the country. Georgia re-exported 56,432 vehicles worth $1.347 billion. Re-exports to Iran increased particularly sharply: 7,360 vehicles were sent there in the first eight months, compared with just 10 during the same period in 2025. However, re-exports to Iran fell sharply in August compared with previous months.

● Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said that repair and reconstruction works at the Dezerter Bazaar in Tbilisi are progressing actively. He called on the market administration to give traders a reasonable period to vacate the area and provide an alternative location for them to continue operating during the rehabilitation works. The previous day, traders protested against the demand to leave the area and blocked the road.

PHOTO: The Tbilisoba city festival will take place on 3–4 October, with approximately 3.3 million lari allocated for the events. The programme will be held in Rike Park, Orbeliani and Gudiashvili squares, Legvtakhevi, Europe Square and on Metekhi Bridge. The programme includes concerts, theatre performances, an open-air cinema, food stalls, trade exhibitions and children’s activities. The ceremony honouring Tbilisi’s honorary citizens will take place on 4 October at 8pm.

● The fourth Baku Security Forum has opened in Baku under the theme “New Challenges in the Global Security Architecture and the Development of Effective Cooperation Mechanisms in the Fight Against Terrorism”. The event is attended by heads and senior representatives of international organisations and intelligence agencies from more than 100 countries. President Ilham Aliyev addressed the participants, stressing the importance of the conference, as “the scale and threatening nature of today’s challenges require intensified cooperation and the use of flexible and coordinated approaches”.

● Among the participants at the Baku Security Forum is the head of Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Kristinne Grigoryan. It is reported that an Armenian delegation also participated in the third edition of the forum in Baku. On that occasion, officials from Armenia’s National Security Service travelled to Azerbaijan. The delegation was headed by NSS chief Andranik Simonyan.

● Speaking at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Donald Trump named the Armenia–Azerbaijan settlement as one of eight conflicts resolved with his involvement. He quoted the leaders of both countries: “President Ilham Aliyev said that President Trump had performed an absolute miracle in six months, something no one thought possible. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the breakthrough achieved would not have been possible without Trump’s personal involvement and firm commitment to peace. It was personal relationships with the leaders, trade, tariffs and the threat of imposing them that helped achieve these agreements,” Trump said.

● Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held a series of meetings on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session with the foreign ministers of Switzerland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Pakistan, Iran, Djibouti, Singapore, Colombia, Bangladesh and Hungary.

● Following a meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Colombia, an agreement was signed on the mutual abolition of visa requirements for all types of passports.

● Following a meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Bangladesh, an agreement was signed on the mutual abolition of visa requirements for diplomatic, official and service passports.

● In an address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his country’s position on the South Caucasus was “crystal clear”. “We want lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and we welcome and support the determination demonstrated by President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in reaching a settlement,” Erdoğan said. He also noted that Turkey and Armenia had made progress in the process of normalising bilateral relations.

● Azerbaijan suspended flights operated by Iranian airlines on 22 September as part of its implementation of a new US sanctions package against Iran. The Azerbaijani embassy in Iran will assist its citizens in returning home via land border crossings.

● President Ilham Aliyev said the development of the mining industry was a priority. To this end, the Western Industrial Park structure has been established to oversee the exploitation of the Dashkesan ore deposit and the implementation of other projects in neighbouring areas. “Within the shortest possible time, infrastructure and a complete mining industry value chain must be created, right through to the production of the final product,” the president said.

● At a meeting on the state programme for the development of the mining industry for 2027–2030, Ilham Aliyev claimed that “during the occupation, the Armenian state destroyed, looted, cut down and sold 60,000 hectares of forest in the Kalbajar, Lachin and Zangilan districts”. “And after the Second Karabakh War, forests were burned when Armenian armed forces were supposed to leave the Kalbajar and Lachin districts. They were given two to three weeks, and during that time they destroyed trees. And they did not forget to take plumbing fixtures with them. Apparently, these were the two most important issues for them,” Aliyev said.

● Ilham Aliyev: “If we look at the country’s overall economic growth rates, they are not particularly high. There are natural reasons for this, primarily the decline in oil production. Our main oil field, Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli, has been in operation for around 30 years, and production is naturally declining for objective reasons. At the same time, new projects will allow us to maintain oil production in Azerbaijan at the necessary level and, hopefully, even ensure growth. However, this is precisely why overall economic growth today, GDP growth, stands at 1.2%. This should not concern us, because a more important indicator is the development of the non-oil sector. Here, over the past eight months, meaning the first eight months of the current year, growth of 5.4% has been recorded. The state programmes that have been adopted will also make this growth sustainable and long-term.”

● Ilham Aliyev said there was a strong possibility of major deposits being found in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. “Geological exploration there — both during the Soviet period and later — was not carried out at the necessary level. It will begin next year,” he said.

● Ilham Aliyev: “Under the new state programme, aluminium production in Azerbaijan will be increased to 100,000 tonnes by the end of 2030. Several plants will be built for this purpose.”

● Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov: “One of our long-term goals is to turn Azerbaijan into a regional processing hub for strategic minerals.”

● The first court hearing in the appeal case involving nine journalists convicted in the ToplumTV case, with sentences ranging from 12 to 15 years, ended in controversy. Seven of the nine defendants were successively removed from the courtroom after sharply criticising the panel of judges. The journalists said it was the same judicial panel that had “disgracefully handled the appeal hearings in the AbzasMedia case”. During the AbzasMedia appeal hearings in August last year, the journalists also objected to Judge Zafar Ahmadov presiding, citing his lack of judicial experience.

The verdict in the ToplumTV case was issued in July this year on charges including smuggling, money laundering and illegal entrepreneurship, among other offences. The journalists deny any wrongdoing and describe the charges as politically motivated. According to human rights defenders, Azerbaijan currently has 328 political prisoners. A number of international human rights organisations, as well as PACE and the European Parliament, have called on Azerbaijan to end political persecution.

● Economist Fazil Gasimov, who has been in detention for more than three years, has been on hunger strike since 19 September. He is protesting the failure to consider his appeal. Gasimov also claims that investigative authorities fabricated a document in his name in order to remove the lawyers who were genuinely defending his rights. The prosecution has presented a statement allegedly signed by him requesting that his interests be represented exclusively by another lawyer. Gasimov, however, says he did not sign such a statement. The Centre for Alternative Expertise also confirmed that the signature on the document does not belong to Gasimov.

● Azerbaijani Popular Front Party member Razi Alishov, who is in detention, is experiencing serious health problems. His family says he is no longer able to walk. “He said that he recently underwent a medical examination, and a doctor diagnosed him with a herniated disc. However, no diagnostic imaging or treatment was carried out to confirm the diagnosis, while his condition has significantly deteriorated,” the family said. Recently, many imprisoned civil society activists, journalists and opposition representatives have repeatedly complained of deteriorating health, as well as a lack of necessary medical examinations and treatment. The Penitentiary Service, in turn, consistently states that medical care is provided to prisoners in accordance with the law.

● State-owned Azerenerji and Turkish company YEO Teknoloji Enerji ve Endüstri A.Ş. have signed a contract to establish a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 250 MWh. The project includes all stages — design, procurement and construction — and has a total value of $58.6 million. Financing will be provided by local banks, with a four-year repayment period. According to the project, the entire system will be commissioned within one year. In the second quarter of this year, YEO commissioned two energy storage systems in Azerbaijan with a combined capacity of 500 MWh. The contracts for those projects were signed in 2025.

● Uzbekistan has established a working group to explore the possibility of participating in the construction of a railway from Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic to Turkey, with connections to the ports of Samsun and Istanbul. Uzbekistan’s Transport Ministry said that during recent visits by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Georgia and Azerbaijan, instructions were issued regarding the use of Caspian Sea infrastructure, the purchase of ferries and equity participation in the construction of the Azerbaijani railway. It is reported that a separate working group has been established for each of these areas.

● Azerbaijan does not recognise the so-called “presidential elections” held in Georgia’s Tskhinvali region or their results, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry. The ministry stressed that Azerbaijan once again reaffirmed its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

● Joint military exercises titled “Strength of Unity – 2026” have begun, involving military personnel from Azerbaijan, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

● Since the beginning of the year, Azerbaijan has increased crude oil supplies to Bulgaria by more than 4.5 times compared with the same period last year.

● Higher education institutions in Baku and government officials working at the Government House will switch to temporary remote learning and work from tomorrow due to the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix, taking place on 24–26 September.

Photo bt Orkhan Musayev

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 14-18 September, 2026