Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 12-16 October, 2026

● The opening ceremony of the Leaders’ Summit, held as part of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), took place in Yerevan. UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived to attend the event. The summit begins its work today.

COP17 will run from 19 to 30 October under the slogan “Acting for Nature”. The official negotiating venue for delegations, intergovernmental bodies and experts will be the so-called Blue Zone at the Meridian Expo Centre. The Green Zone, located at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concert Complex, will host open discussions for anyone interested, including residents of Armenia and the thousands of visitors, scientists and media representatives expected to arrive in the country. Around 15,000 participants and guests from across the world are expected to attend, including representatives of the 196 parties to the Convention.

● At a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres thanked Armenia for the excellent organisation of COP17.

“I would like to congratulate Armenia on this. My colleagues tell me that it is always difficult to reach a common statement or agreement during negotiations. Armenia has demonstrated exceptional diplomatic skills, working wonders in bringing together different opinions and points of view,” he said.

Guterres also stressed the importance of establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, highlighting Pashinyan’s personal contribution to the process.

● “The war against nature is not over, and we continue to witness the very serious consequences of three global crises: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. They are all interconnected,” the UN Secretary-General said at a press conference ahead of COP17.

● Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, has also arrived in Yerevan. At a meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan, she welcomed Armenia’s hosting of COP17 and expressed confidence that the conference would raise the country’s international profile. Mushikiwabo and Pashinyan also discussed preparations for the 10th International Francophonie Games, which Armenia will host in 2027.

● Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan met a delegation led by Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). Grigoryan praised Armenia’s strategic cooperation with UNDP in the fields of human rights and democratic institutions, energy efficiency, water resource management and disaster risk reduction.

● Ignazio Cassis, the current Chairperson-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and head of Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, has arrived in Yerevan. During meetings with Armenia’s foreign minister and prime minister, he welcomed the establishment of peace with Azerbaijan and expressed hope that a peace agreement would be signed as soon as possible.

● Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also arrived in Armenia this morning to attend COP17.

● During a working visit to Washington, Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Karen Brutyan met Mary Beth Morgan, director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The two discussed Armenian-US defence cooperation.

● “I consider the signing and ratification of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan the most important task ahead of us. This does not mean that we are abandoning any other agenda, but this is the goal I have set for myself. The specific timeframe is to complete the process by 2031. I see that this is possible,” Nikol Pashinyan said at his weekly briefing.

● Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan has assured journalists that Armenia’s new special representative for the normalisation of relations with Turkey will be announced once a candidate has been selected.

“Frankly speaking, the need to appoint a new special representative remains an open question, as it may turn out that the border with Turkey opens before an agreement is reached on appointing new representatives,” he said.

Before Armenia’s parliamentary elections in June 2026, Ruben Rubinyan served as Armenia’s special representative. He has since become speaker of parliament, and a new appointment is therefore expected.

● Russia has received no requests from Armenia or Azerbaijan to participate in the Trump Route (TRIPP) transit project, but both countries are aware of Moscow’s willingness to take part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

“We have welcomed the process of normalising relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We welcomed the agreement reached in Washington. We are ready to participate in infrastructure projects, as we have said repeatedly. Russian Railways holds a concession and operates through the South Caucasus Railway. We are familiar with all this infrastructure, and it is maintained and operated using our technology,” Lavrov said.

Context. Armenia’s railway network is managed under a concession by South Caucasus Railway, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Russian Railways. The concession agreement runs for 30 years. Since the Russian company took over management, however, freight traffic has halved, some routes have ceased operating, and the investment commitments have remained unfulfilled.

Armenian experts therefore see no justification for extending the Russian concession. The Armenian authorities, who previously shared this view, have recently sought to avoid further escalation of tensions with Russia and have softened their rhetoric. More details here.

● The Armenian government has extended subsidies under a programme supporting exporters. The programme was launched after Russia imposed restrictions on Armenian producers. The government is using it to help local exporters gain access to new markets.

● “The government has recognised 100% of the shares in Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) as being of overriding public interest. In the coming months, a record describing the property to be expropriated will be drawn up, the shares will be valued at market rates, and the current owners will receive compensation equal to the assessed value. As a result, 100% of ENA’s shares will be registered as the property of the Republic of Armenia. Long live the Republic of Armenia!” Romanos Petrosyan, the company’s interim manager, wrote on his Facebook page.

ENA’s former owner was Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who is under house arrest in Yerevan on charges of calling for a seizure of power, money laundering and large-scale tax evasion.

● “Our Plan A is to make ENA a state-owned company and transfer its management to one or more leading international companies. We have no intention of privatising it. If, for objective reasons, we are unable to implement Plan A, we will move on to discussing other plans,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

● President Ilham Aliyev made strong statements at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in Baku. Among other things, he said:

Azerbaijan pursues an independent foreign policy based on respect for the territorial integrity of other states.

Aliyev accused international organisations and Western institutions of applying double standards to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He said they had ignored the fact that around 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognised territory had been under Armenian occupation for 30 years, while more than one million Azerbaijanis had been expelled from their lands.

Four UN Security Council resolutions demanding the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from the occupied territories had never been implemented.

The activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, established in 1992 to resolve the conflict, were merely a pretence at mediation.

International inaction had contributed to the continuation of the conflict.

All three former presidents of Armenia and their supporters were war criminals and child-killers who had still not received the punishment they deserved.

In 2019, Armenia’s current prime minister said in what was then occupied Karabakh: “Karabakh is Armenia, period.” Armenia’s defence minister had threatened Azerbaijan with a new war to seize additional territories. The international community had not reacted.

No one had ever condemned Armenia for the occupation, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and mass killings, or for the desecration of the Azerbaijani people’s religious shrines.

The European Parliament and the Council of Europe had encouraged the aggressor — Armenia.

During the 44-day war in 2020 and the military operation in September 2023, Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, and the former separatist leaders were brought before an Azerbaijani court.

Until mechanisms are developed to ensure that the decisions of the United Nations and other international organisations are implemented, wars and conflicts will continue and new ones will emerge.

“If sanctions had been imposed on Armenia in good time for occupation, genocide and ethnic cleansing, Azerbaijan would not have had to break the back of Armenian fascism on the battlefield. The impunity enjoyed by the aggressor only made it more audacious.”

Baku offered Armenia peace, and the two countries have been living in peace for just over a year. This peace remains fragile and must be protected and strengthened.

● Leaders of participating countries who addressed the summit made the following statements, among others:

The President of Kazakhstan said that Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan had jointly begun implementing a project to lay a trans-Caspian fibre-optic communications cable along the seabed of the Caspian Sea. Work was also under way to develop the Caspian Green Energy Corridor. Plans had been drawn up to increase Kazakh oil supplies through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline. The president proposed that Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan jointly promote the establishment of an International Water Organisation under the United Nations.

The President of Israel said Azerbaijan had made CICA more active during its chairmanship. He described Azerbaijan as a country that develops regional partnerships, promotes tolerance, strengthens trust between states and strives to build a better future.

The President of Laos proposed developing a railway corridor based on the Laos–China railway, extending it through Central Asia into the wider Eurasian region, including Azerbaijan.

● Russia has received no requests from Armenia or Azerbaijan regarding its participation in the regional transit project known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), but both countries are aware of Russia’s readiness to take part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists in Baku. He stressed that the state-owned company Russian Railways holds the concession to manage Armenia’s railway system, adding that “Russia is therefore very familiar with the region’s infrastructure”.

● Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has summarised the results of the seventh CICA summit held in Baku. The outcomes included the adoption of the Baku Declaration and a statement on cooperation in healthcare and occupational safety; Laos joining CICA as its 29th full member; The extension of Azerbaijan’s chairmanship for 2026–2028; The appointment of Ambassador Sultan Hajiyev as the organisation’s secretary-general for 2026–2030; Cambodia’s ratification of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities, completing the process required for the document to enter into force.

● The presidents of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan officially inaugurated the Trans-Caspian fibre-optic cable line online on the sidelines of the seventh summit. “This is a global project that will be used by all countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, as well as by a wider geographical area,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at the ceremony. “This is not a transport corridor, but something new that fits into the modern era of digitalisation. It is an entirely new form of cooperation,” Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

● President Ilham Aliyev met with the Turkish foreign minister and the Emir of Qatar, who were attending the seventh CICA summit.

● A total of 13.2 billion manats (approximately $8 billion) is planned to be allocated from Azerbaijan’s state budget in 2027–2030 for the restoration and reconstruction of the Karabakh and East Zangezur economic regions — territories Azerbaijan regained from Armenian occupation as a result of the 2020 Second Karabakh War. According to the Ministry of Finance, these expenditures will account for 24.1% of total capital spending.

● Russian rapper Navai, who is of ethnic Azerbaijani origin, has been arrested in Kazakhstan. A narcotic substance was found in his car during an inspection at a border checkpoint as he entered Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan. His lawyer said the rapper had been placed in detention for two months. The Russian Consulate General has sent a diplomatic note to Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry.

● The Prosecutor’s Office has charged crime figures Vato Kipiani, Avtandil Bilanishvili and Shota Kipiani with group violence. Bilanishvili, known by the nickname “Katsro”, has become the subject of social media speculation over his possible links to the ruling party. According to the investigation, they physically assaulted a man at a restaurant in Tbilisi on 14 October. The Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed the detention of Vato Kipiani and Avtandil Bilanishvili. The charge carries a prison sentence of up to two years. The alleged links between all three suspects and elite circles have long been widely discussed in Georgian media and on social media, and their arrests have caused a major stir.

● Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili met with the speakers of the Italian and Cypriot parliaments in Rome during a conference of speakers of parliaments from Council of Europe member states. According to the parliamentary press service, the discussions focused on Georgia’s relations with the European Union and interparliamentary cooperation. Representatives of Italy and Cyprus reaffirmed their support for Georgia’s European future. Papuashvili spoke about the importance of resuming dialogue with the EU.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended the official opening ceremony of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Armenia. According to the Government Administration, following the event, the leaders of participating countries were hosted at an official reception by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Vahagn Khachaturyan.

● Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili said, following meetings held in the United Arab Emirates, that the parties had discussed opportunities to expand trade and exports of Georgian products. According to her, investors are interested in Georgia’s energy, construction, tourism and logistics sectors. The meetings also addressed Georgia’s role in the Middle Corridor transit route. Kvrivishvili said the government plans to develop transport infrastructure and significantly increase cargo turnover. The minister did not specify the units of measurement for the projected increase or the timeframe for achieving the targets.

● It has only now emerged that a prisoner died in a Kutaisi prison on 9 October. According to the Special Penitentiary Service, he fell face down from the upper level of a bunk bed in a six-person cell. His cellmates called for help. The service said a doctor arrived at the scene immediately, but the prisoner could not be saved. An investigation into the incident has been launched. The exact cause of death remains unknown.

● Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said that a possible ban on opposition parties would strengthen democracy in Georgia. According to him, “there is no place in a democratic party landscape for parties that are hostile to the constitution”. Papuashvili cited Ukraine, Moldova and Germany as examples of countries where, in his view, mechanisms exist to ban anti-constitutional parties. He said that if the Constitutional Court agreed with the ruling party’s arguments and banned the opposition parties, society would only benefit. The court has not yet issued a ruling.

● Shalva Papuashvili accused the European Union of worsening its relations with Georgia. He said the failure to invite representatives of the Georgian government to the EU enlargement forum showed that Brussels was obstructing dialogue. Papuashvili accused EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas of being “superficial” and described the EU’s foreign policy as immature. He also accused former Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria of facilitating foreign interference in the 2024 parliamentary elections, but provided no evidence to support the allegation. According to the list published by the European Commission, representatives of the Georgian government are not among the participants in the enlargement forum.

● Viktor Japaridze, a member of the pro-government parliamentary political group People’s Power, has reportedly sold the television channel PostTV, known for its reputation as a pro-government propaganda outlet, for a symbolic sum of 1,000 lari (around $400). Lawyer Abesadze wrote on social media that the sale was probably linked to the ongoing conflict within the ruling Georgian Dream party, adding that further details would be announced later. At this stage, the available information contains no official confirmation of the transaction or the identity of the new owner.

● David Okitashvili, president of the Georgian Chamber of Culture and an outspoken supporter of the ruling party, has called on the Prosecutor’s Office to investigate the costs of the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. In an interview with PalitraNews, he said the public had a right to know how the money had been spent. Okitashvili accused the former culture minister of putting pressure on representatives of the cultural sector and alleged that the former minister had enjoyed the patronage of former Deputy Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze. According to Okitashvili, the Prosecutor’s Office has not contacted him so far. His claims have not been independently verified. Read more here.

● A court has allowed former Deputy Head of the State Security Service Levan Akhobadze, who is accused of receiving a particularly large bribe, to pay bail of 500,000 lari (approximately $200,000), secured by property. The court had previously replaced his detention with bail and given him 30 days to pay the amount. According to the investigation, Akhobadze initially demanded 500,000 lari in exchange for helping a businessman recover money, but later agreed to accept half that amount. If convicted, he faces between 11 and 15 years in prison.

● Brothers Davit and Guram Kakulia, who are accused of organising a contract killing on the orders of crime boss Niko Kvaratskhelia, deny the charges and are seeking to have the case dismissed. Davit Kakulia called on the Kvaratskhelia family to file a complaint, while Guram Kakulia said he would refuse to attend future court hearings. The brothers have declined a jury trial. The court has referred the case for a substantive hearing, which is due to begin on 29 October. The arrest warrant issued in absentia for another defendant in the case, Besarion Zhvania, remains in force. He is wanted internationally. The Prosecutor’s Office has also ordered psychiatric and psychological assessments of the Kakulia brothers; the results are not yet known.

● Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, was forcibly returned to Georgia from Turkey. He had been travelling to Brussels to attend a Renew Europe leaders’ summit, but was denied entry to Turkey and detained at an airport on 15 October. Japaridze said he had only learned then that he had been banned from entering Turkey since November 2025. According to him, Turkish officials explained that they had received information about him from official Georgian authorities. This claim has not been independently confirmed. News of his detention was first reported by the European political alliance Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

● A man in Zestafoni has been arrested on suspicion of robbing 12 graves. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he stole metal components from grave fences and sold them to a scrap metal collection point. Police seized the stolen items as evidence. The investigation is being conducted under an article concerning disrespect for the deceased and the illegal possession of items taken from graves. The offence carries a prison sentence of up to two years.

● Georgian director Levan Koguashvili will receive a Golden Globe award in the Pioneer category. The award ceremony will take place in Tashkent on 23–24 October as part of the event “Golden Globe: The Silk Road”. Koguashvili will be honoured for his contribution to the development of regional cinema. The director is known for his films Street Days, Blind Dates and Brighton 4th. His new film, Guria, was presented at the 2026 Venice Film Festival and is Georgia’s candidate for the Academy Awards.

The poster features a photo of Mzia Amaglobeli, a prominent journalist convicted for slapping a police officer who had insulted her. Her words, “Fight before it’s too late,” are printed on the poster.

● UN Secretary-General António Guterres has arrived in Armenia to attend COP17, an international environmental summit held under the auspices of the United Nations.

● Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Robert Abisoghomonyan commented on whether the issue of the return to Armenia of ethnic Armenians held in prisons in Azerbaijan would be raised during COP17. “The Foreign Ministry has repeatedly stated that it raises this issue on various platforms, and it may also be discussed during bilateral meetings with senior delegations arriving for COP17. However, this issue falls within the humanitarian agenda and is addressed through the relevant organisations. The COP17 summit is primarily devoted to environmental matters,” Abisoghomonyan said.

● Armenia and Russia will establish a working group to address issues concerning the operation of the Armenian railway, which is managed by Russia under a concession agreement. This was announced in a statement following a meeting in Yerevan between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, members of the government and Oleg Belozyorov, CEO of Russian Railways. Yerevan has been saying for several months that the concession agreement is causing Armenia to lose its competitive advantages, as Western partners are reluctant to use railways under Russian management. Armenia has proposed transferring the management to a third country acceptable to both Armenia and Russia. However, Belozyorov told journalists that the possibility of transferring the concession to another country had not been discussed. The main focus was on fulfilling the obligations under the concession agreement. “Views were exchanged on railway reconstruction projects on the Gyumri–Akhurik–Turkey border section and the Yeraskh–Nakhchivan section, which runs towards the border with Azerbaijan,” the press release said. “We are open to dialogue with the Armenian government and to a joint assessment of the effectiveness of the concession agreement. For our part, we intend to firmly uphold all the commitments we have undertaken,” Belozyorov said. According to the Russian company’s press release, investment in Armenia’s railways during the concession period has amounted to around $400 million. No dividends have ever been paid to the shareholder, and all profits have been reinvested in railway development.

● Nikol Pashinyan has posted a video on his social media page outlining what peace should look like after the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been signed and ratified. “Armenia should have a territory of 29,743 square kilometres, and border delimitation and demarcation should proceed on this basis, in accordance with the logic of the Alma-Ata Declaration,” adopted during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the prime minister said.

● Nikol Pashinyan has also commented on Armenian and Azerbaijani enclaves and exclaves located on each other’s territories. In his view, there should be none. “The two countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan, should exchange territories of precisely defined sizes. All roads and communication routes should be open, and the countries should make no demands of each other and leave each other alone on all issues. No demands, including those concerning Karabakh or Western Azerbaijan. The most important question now is whether it is actually possible to achieve such a vision of peace. Following my meeting with the president of Azerbaijan in Turkmenistan, I formed a preliminary impression that we have an opportunity to shape peace in this way, and in the near future we will be working to turn this opportunity into reality,” Pashinyan said.

● “Perhaps tomorrow morning we will wake up and see a headline in the news: ‘Armenia-Turkey border is open’. I think the process has already matured considerably,” Foreign Minister and Minister of International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan said while speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum.

● Deputy Environment Minister Ara Mkrtchyan responded to opposition allegations that there had been elements of corruption in the organisation of COP17. He said that, of the 12 companies that had applied to supply goods, a list of the 10 companies that met the established criteria had been submitted to UN experts. The UN experts then conducted the selection process and chose two companies without any involvement by Armenian government agencies. Mkrtchyan also stressed that the prices of goods purchased for the summit could not be compared with ordinary retail prices. “There has been speculation about the prices of chairs, equipment and badges. But the amounts reflect more than the cost of the items themselves. The principle applied is ‘the cost of the product plus a comprehensive service’. The price includes extensive logistics, installation and round-the-clock servicing over 15 days. The quantities were enormous, and the deadlines were three to four times tighter than for ordinary events. In addition, all goods must strictly comply with UN environmental standards — for example, the use of plastic is not permitted,” the minister said. He also emphasised that COP17 would bring not only international prestige but also significant economic benefits. Around 20,000 visitors are expected, and their spending will go directly to the private sector, while a substantial portion of the money paid will return to the state budget in the form of taxes.

● Ruling-party MP Lusine Badalyan was denied entry to Russia, where she was due to attend a meeting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly’s Commission on Social Policy and Human Rights. “I was informed that I am banned from entering Russia. The reason is unknown. This is a strange and concerning situation, since I am a member of the national parliamentary delegation and was supposed to carry out my official duties,” Badalyan said.

● A meeting on reforming the migration management system was held under the chairmanship of the prime minister. Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan recalled that earlier this year, a meeting with the same participants had discussed the citizenship component, with the aim of rethinking the institution of citizenship and linking it to the concept of “Real Armenia”. A draft law proposing amendments to the Law on Citizenship has been developed as part of this concept. The minister noted that Armenia has become a country of destination for migrants in recent years, with a significant influx of people, making migration management a key area of state policy.

● No chairperson was elected to the Constitutional Court, and a new election will be held after neither of the two nominated candidates secured the required number of votes in two rounds of voting.

● Armenia’s Prosecutor General’s Office is seeking the confiscation of real estate and funds belonging to MP Aghvan Vardanyan whose origins cannot be explained by his lawful income.

● From 1 July 2027, citizens of Armenia and other countries with which Kazakhstan has a visa-free regime will need an electronic travel authorisation to enter Kazakhstan. The document will be free of charge and valid for 180 days.

● A six-year-old child riding a scooter collided with a car in Yerevan. The child was taken to hospital, but doctors were unable to save their life.

Video: Camera traps in the Khosrov Forest State Reserve have captured images of bezoar goats.

● Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Health has dismissed as fake a letter circulating on social media and messaging apps that purportedly announces restrictions on wearing hijabs in medical facilities. A joint statement by the ministry and the Council for Media and Broadcasting stressed that the ministry had not approved such a document and had issued no instructions of this kind to medical institutions. The statement said the letter was a forgery being circulated as an official document and constituted disinformation. The council urged media outlets and social media users to verify information through official sources.

● Azerbaijan’s Council for Media and Broadcasting has reported targeted information attacks against the country originating from Iran and Turkey, particularly via Telegram and TikTok. According to the council, foreign users published more than 400 posts in a short period using the same hashtag in Azerbaijani. The council noted that the posts contained identical spelling mistakes, followed similar writing styles and were accompanied by repetitive comments and the same edited photo and video materials. The statement said foreign public activists, politicians and even officials had actively participated in targeted information campaigns against Azerbaijan in recent days. The council described this as a coordinated effort to manipulate public opinion and called on citizens “not to spread inaccurate material and to take a responsible stance towards attempts to damage the country’s reputation”.

● Azerbaijan’s Council for Media and Broadcasting has accused Iranian television channel Sahar Azəri of disinformation after it presented footage of a rally in Turkey’s Diyarbakır province as an apparent demonstration in support of people wearing hijabs in Azerbaijan. The council said the channel had distorted the location and nature of the event as part of a systematic anti-Azerbaijani information campaign. It also recalled that the channel had already been placed on a blacklist for similar activities. The council urged media outlets to verify facts and called on the public to approach published material critically and check information against reliable sources.

● The seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is taking place in Baku. The international forum currently brings together 28 Asian countries, including Russia and China. Azerbaijan holds the chairmanship of the forum this year.

● A preliminary meeting ahead of the summit decided to admit Laos to the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. The final decision confirming Laos as the forum’s 29th member is expected to be approved at the summit.

● President Ilham Aliyev met the presidents of Israel, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as the foreign ministers of China, Bahrain and Sri Lanka, who arrived in Baku to attend the summit.

● Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Baku to attend the summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

● Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will lead Turkey’s delegation at the summit.

● A joint Azerbaijan-Laos business forum was held in Baku, where Azerbaijani companies were invited to invest in projects in Laos involving logistics, energy and industrial production, and to take advantage of preferential conditions in more than 20 special economic zones in the country. The vice-president of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry described Azerbaijan as a strategic logistics hub offering access to markets in the Caucasus, Turkey, Central Asia and Europe. He said the two countries could develop mutual supplies of agricultural and industrial products and cooperate in conventional and renewable energy, including solar and wind power generation.

● Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry rejected allegations by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot that Baku was interfering in France’s internal affairs. The dispute concerns the Baku Initiative Group, which supports decolonisation movements in French overseas territories, including New Caledonia. Barrot said the Azerbaijan-linked group holds conferences in Nouméa at which calls for uprisings are voiced and distributes draft constitutions, describing this as foreign interference that could fuel divisions and destabilise democracy. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada called the allegations unfounded, saying that portraying the struggle of people in France’s overseas territories for their rights as the result of foreign interference disregards their own will and concerns. Baku urged Paris to “put an end to unfounded accusations against Azerbaijan and to uphold the principles of mutual respect and non-interference in internal affairs in international relations”.

● Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), called for efforts to prevent a rift between Turkey and Azerbaijan, expressing hope that an upcoming meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the summit of the Organisation of Turkic States would reaffirm the strength of bilateral relations. His statement came amid mounting tensions between the two countries. A Turkish presidential adviser had criticised Azerbaijan over the ban on wearing hijabs in schools, while Turkish media and social media users have also strongly criticised Azerbaijan’s partnership with Israel. Azerbaijan’s ruling party responded by accusing Turkish politicians of interfering in the country’s internal affairs.

● Prime Minister Ali Asadov met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who was visiting Baku. They discussed expanding cooperation in energy, transport and tourism.

● Ali Asadov also met Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith, who was in Baku on an official visit. The discussions covered prospects for cooperation in trade, transport logistics, energy and demining.

● Azerbaijan called on UN human rights bodies to pay greater attention to the humanitarian consequences of the mine threat and the fate of more than 4,000 people who went missing during the First Karabakh War. The issues were raised during an interactive dialogue between Azerbaijan’s UN delegation and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights within the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. Azerbaijan said landmines were hindering the country’s reconstruction and recovery efforts. More than 3,500 people in Azerbaijan have been killed or injured by mines over the past three decades. Since the Second Karabakh War in 2020, more than 400 people have been killed or injured in mine incidents.

● A court in Russia’s Yekaterinburg has ordered the liquidation of the public organisation Azerbaijan-Ural. It was headed by local businessman and public figure Shahin Shykhlinski, an ethnic Azerbaijani. He was detained in the summer of 2025 and later convicted of several criminal offences, including charges related to organising murders. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

● An Azerbaijani family’s apartment was damaged during another Russian attack on Kyiv. Local media reported that the owners’ son was inside the apartment at the time of the strike but was not injured. The attack killed five people in Kyiv and injured another 20.

● Thirty-two Azerbaijani citizens have been returned from Germany under the readmission agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union covering people residing without permission.

● Pro-government media report that today marks 23 years since Ilham Aliyev was first elected president of Azerbaijan. On 15 October 2003, more than 76% of voters cast their ballots for him following a call by his father, then-President Heydar Aliyev, who had named his son as his political successor. The media say that over the past 23 years Azerbaijan has significantly strengthened its international standing, people’s welfare has improved, the country’s territorial integrity has been restored, and reconstruction work is under way in Karabakh alongside programmes to enable former internally displaced people to return to their homes.

PHOTO: A procession of Azerbaijani women wearing traditional kelaghayi headscarves took place in central Baku. The organisers said the initiative aimed to raise interest in traditional clothing, particularly the kelaghayi. During the procession, participants performed folk songs and recited bayati, a traditional form of Azerbaijani folk poetry. Photo by Report

● Georgian opposition politician Zurab Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, was detained at a Turkish airport. According to the European party Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), his passport and luggage were confiscated, and he was taken to a temporary detention facility. Japaridze was travelling to Brussels to attend a summit of Renew Europe leaders. The politician himself says he only learned at that point that he had been banned from entering Turkey since November 2025. According to the explanation given to him, Turkey had received information about him from official Georgian authorities. Japaridze said he would be returned to Tbilisi on the morning of 15 October.

● Representatives of the Georgian government have not been included on the list of official speakers at the EU enlargement forum, which will take place in Brussels on 15–16 November. The list published by the European Commission includes Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa, Kaja Kallas, Marta Kos and leaders of EU candidate countries, including representatives of Moldova, Ukraine and the Western Balkans. According to a source cited by Euroskop, the Georgian government was not invited to the event.

● Constitutional Court judge Manana Kobakhidze has resigned before the end of her term. She had previously requested to recuse herself from hearing the case seeking to ban opposition parties, but the court rejected her request. Constitutional law expert Vakhushti Menabde suggested that Kobakhidze’s resignation could be linked to internal and external pressure, including fears of sanctions. Georgian Dream MP Davit Matikashvili offered a different interpretation, describing the judge’s request for recusal as illogical and characterising her resignation as an attempt to evade responsibility. The case concerns a lawsuit seeking to ban five opposition parties. According to the opposition, hearings will begin on 21 October.

● Opposition politician Giorgi Gakharia has called on Georgia’s international partners to take active measures in response to the proceedings initiated in Georgia to ban opposition parties. The leader of the For Georgia party said that “passive observation is no longer enough”. Constitutional law expert Vakhushti Menabde explained that the Constitutional Court’s acceptance of the lawsuit for consideration does not mean that the parties will be banned. According to him, a ban requires evidence of a real threat to the constitutional order, and criticism of the government cannot serve as grounds for such a decision. Menabde believes that Georgian Dream’s lawsuit does not meet this criterion, although the government has significant influence over the court.

● Former president Salome Zourabichvili claims that the ruling party is using the Constitutional Court as an instrument of political persecution. She says she experienced this herself during the impeachment proceedings against her. Zourabichvili compares the attempt to ban opposition parties with the practices of authoritarian regimes and believes the government’s move will deepen Georgia’s international isolation. In her assessment, banning the parties serves Russia’s interests and will distance Georgia even further from the European Union.

● Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has travelled to Italy to attend a conference of speakers of parliament from Council of Europe member states. He plans to speak at two sessions and hold high-level bilateral meetings. The delegation also includes Georgian Dream MPs Nikoloz Samkharadze and Levan Makhashvili. The event is organised by the Council of Europe and is unrelated to the EU enlargement forum at which representatives of the Georgian authorities will not speak.

● Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili is participating in the Raisina Middle East international conference in the United Arab Emirates. She will speak at a discussion on the strategic future of the Gulf region. Bilateral meetings are also scheduled during her visit.

● With the support of the European Union and Sweden, specialists in the prevention and diagnosis of fish diseases have received further training in Georgia. The training course was attended by fish farmers, laboratory staff and representatives of state agencies. The programme aims to improve the early detection of trout diseases and enhance product safety. According to the EU Delegation, the European Commission still needs to assess the safety measures in place for Georgian aquaculture products. Compliance with EU requirements is necessary for these products to be exported to the EU market.

● A new, high-tech building is planned as part of the reconstruction of Tbilisi’s Republican Hospital. The Ministry of Health has signed an agreement with the international company ICME Healthcare to prepare the building’s architectural and engineering design. The new facility will house operating theatres, resuscitation facilities, an intensive care unit, an emergency department and a radiology department. The existing buildings are also scheduled for reconstruction. The cost and timeline of the construction have not yet been announced.

● Georgia plans to lift restrictions on retaking the state qualification examination for doctors. Under the current rules, doctors who fail the examination may retake it only twice a year, with a six-month interval between attempts. The government has proposed removing these restrictions. The right to practise medicine independently will be granted again only after a doctor successfully passes the examination.

PHOTO: Birds raised at a breeding facility run by the Cartu Foundation, which belongs to billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, have been released into the wild. According to reports, Caucasian pheasants, woodcocks and woodpeckers raised at the Sachkhere poultry farm were released in Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda Park in an effort to restore their populations. The ceremony was attended by members of Ivanishvili’s family, including his wife, Ekaterine Khvedelidze, his daughter-in-law, Nanuka Gudavadze, and his grandchildren.

● Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s chief adviser, Oktay Saral, criticised the new requirements for school uniforms and teachers’ clothing in Azerbaijan, which have effectively banned the wearing of hijabs in schools. Saral said that female students who cover their heads for religious reasons should not be denied the opportunity to study. “The right to education must not become a victim of any ideological agenda! We expect Azerbaijan to abandon this misguided practice as soon as possible,” Saral wrote on X.

● Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) issued a response, accusing representatives of Turkey’s ruling party and some Turkish media outlets of conducting a systematic campaign against Baku, spreading false and defamatory material, and interfering in the country’s internal affairs. The party described Saral’s remarks as irresponsible and populist, stressing that Azerbaijan is a secular state and that its education rules are based on the Constitution and the principle of equality.

Context: Protests are continuing outside some schools in Azerbaijan, with demonstrators demanding the reversal of the effective ban on female students and teachers wearing hijabs. Read more here.

● YAP’s statement also rejected recent criticism from Turkey on another issue. Social media users and some Turkish media outlets had expressed widespread outrage over the fact that Azerbaijan’s delegation did not leave the UN General Assembly hall during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech, unlike delegations from many other countries protesting Israel’s military operations in Palestine. YAP rejected attempts to portray Baku’s relations with Israel as exceptional and use them as grounds for political accusations. The statement stressed that Azerbaijan consistently and openly supports the rights of the Palestinian people, advocates the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and provides financial and humanitarian assistance to Palestine.

● YAP’s statement also stressed that the principle of “one nation, two states” does not give Turkey the right to interfere in Azerbaijan’s affairs or dictate its political course.

● The Milli Majlis working group on interparliamentary relations with Turkey also condemned Saral’s remarks. Its statement stressed that Azerbaijan independently determines its domestic and foreign policies, while its secular system and education rules are guaranteed by the Constitution. The working group also expressed outrage over the “use of insulting and defamatory language against President Ilham Aliyev” and the lack of a response from the Turkish authorities. It called on Turkey to respect Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and prevent a deterioration in bilateral relations.

● Almost all pro-government media outlets in Azerbaijan published strongly worded criticism of remarks by Saral and similar statements by Leyla Şahin Usta, a representative of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). “Who authorised them to pass judgement on Azerbaijan’s domestic policies?” Azerbaijani media asked.

● Azerbaijan’s State Tax Service is seeking to recover 79,089 manats (approximately $47,000) in taxes from 12 journalists detained in the Meydan TV case. The agency’s representative, Leyla Huseynova, filed a civil claim in court, saying the amount had been calculated on the basis of an audit of grant agreements. Asked by defence lawyers how much each defendant was expected to pay, she replied that it did not matter how the amount was divided among the 12 defendants; the main thing was to recover the full sum. The lawyers objected, arguing that grants are donations and are exempt from profit tax.

The journalists charged in the Meydan TV case face accusations including smuggling, illegal entrepreneurship, money laundering and tax evasion. According to investigators, they illegally brought foreign currency into Azerbaijan from abroad. The defendants deny the charges and consider their prosecution politically motivated.

● Meydan TV editor-in-chief Aynur Elgunash, who is in detention and suffers from kidney disease, is expected to be transferred to a medical facility this week. According to her relatives, a kidney stone has seriously damaged the organ, and the journalist is suffering from severe pain and high blood pressure without receiving the necessary treatment in detention. According to her family, another journalist detained in the case, Shamshad Agha, has already been transferred to a specialised medical facility. The information has not yet been officially confirmed.

● President Ilham Aliyev and Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith, who is visiting Baku, made statements to the press. Aliyev said the two countries intended to expand cooperation in trade, investment, energy and transport, noting that current trade turnover did not reflect their potential. He also proposed restoring scholarship programmes for Laotian students in Azerbaijan. Sisoulith confirmed Laos’s interest in increasing trade and investment and expanding educational and cultural exchanges. The leaders signed a joint statement on further cooperation.

● The seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is taking place in Baku on 14–15 October. Leaders of participating countries are expected to discuss practical cooperation in transport connectivity, digitalisation, sustainable economic growth and other areas.

● The presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are arriving in Baku today to attend the summit.

● Energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union was discussed during panel sessions at the 10th International Energy Forum in Zagreb, Azerbaijani Ambassador Anar Imanov said. According to him, a key focus was the growing strategic importance of the Middle Corridor in strengthening transport connectivity between Asia and Europe.

● Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen will pay an official visit to Azerbaijan on 26 October.

● Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan plays a key role in improving the efficiency of the Middle Corridor. He noted that Turkmen oil is already being transported through Azerbaijan to international markets, while Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR is interested in participating in projects to develop Turkmenistan’s oil and gas fields.

● Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have broad opportunities for joint projects that capitalise on the geopolitical advantages of the Caspian region, Turkmen Ambassador Gurbanguly Elyasov said at an event in Baku marking the 35th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Independence Day. He stressed that port infrastructure in both countries already provides efficient freight routes between Asia and Europe, turning the Caspian region into a major logistics hub.

● All eight Azerbaijani citizens aboard the cargo vessel Chelsea-3, which was attacked by drones in the Black Sea off the Bulgarian coast, have been rescued, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada said. One was hospitalised in Varna, while the others are in satisfactory condition. The ministry again urged Azerbaijani citizens not to work on vessels operating in the Black and Azov seas. Bulgaria said it would seek international assistance to establish who was responsible for the drone attacks. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry accused Russia of carrying out the attacks and called on international partners to increase pressure on Moscow.

● A delegation from the Azerbaijani Navy, led by Commander Shahin Mammadov, took part in the 15th Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium (T-RSS), organised by the Italian Navy in Venice. Discussions focused on protecting international sea routes and developing cooperation between the participating countries’ navies.

● Three Azerbaijani citizens have been convicted of participating in an illegal armed formation outside Azerbaijan and spying on officials of a foreign state. Amid Mammadov and Nurlan Safarov were each sentenced to five years in prison, while Edik Israfilov received a four-and-a-half-year sentence. The foreign state involved in the case has not been identified.

● Azerbaijan’s cybersecurity agency has identified a phishing campaign impersonating popular AI services, including ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Criminals are creating fake advertising portals to steal passwords and one-time verification codes, gaining access to the accounts of advertisers and advertising agency employees. The agency urged users to check website addresses carefully and never share verification codes with third parties.

● UN Secretary-General António Guterres will visit Yerevan on 15–16 October to take part in high-level events as part of the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17). He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The meeting is expected to follow up on their contacts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, when they discussed preparations for COP17, strengthening peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and developing regional cooperation.

● A world leaders’ summit on biodiversity will take place in Yerevan on 16 October, while the main COP17 conference is scheduled for 19–30 October. Armenia will host it under the slogan “Taking Action for Nature”. Participants will discuss the implementation of global biodiversity targets, including measures to protect ecosystems and restore natural resources.

● Relations between Armenia and the European Union have deepened to an unprecedented level, Foreign Minister and Minister of International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan said at the Warsaw Security Forum. He stressed that this involves not only political dialogue, economic cooperation and support for trade, but also ensuring Armenia’s security. Addressing the question of EU membership, the minister said: “I am not sure the EU would decide to admit Armenia as a full member tomorrow, even if Armenia declared its readiness. Let us continue these warm relations, explore new opportunities, and then, at some point in the future, discuss together whether we should ‘get married’ or not,” Ararat Mirzoyan said.

● Ararat Mirzoyan met Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum. They discussed opportunities to develop bilateral relations, continue political dialogue and expand trade ties.

● Andrii Sybiha wrote on X that he had invited Ararat Mirzoyan to visit Kyiv. “Ukraine and Armenia have a solid foundation for deepening cooperation and advancing our bilateral agenda,” Sybiha wrote.

● The foreign ministers of Armenia and Germany discussed bilateral trade and economic relations on the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum. They noted, in particular, that trade turnover between the two countries had more than doubled in the first half of 2026.

● Ararat Mirzoyan held a telephone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein. Mirzoyan outlined the work being carried out to institutionalise peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They also discussed issues being addressed in multilateral forums.

● Eight people have been detained in the city of Gyumri on suspicion of bribery and corruption. They include the deputy chair of the admissions committee at the state music college. The Investigative Committee has not disclosed further details, citing the interests of the preliminary investigation.

● Today, 14 October, Armenia’s Constitutional Court will elect its president. Arman Dilanyan’s term in the position expired on 12 October. Under the Constitution, the Constitutional Court elects its president from among its members for a six-year term, with no possibility of re-election.

● Armenia’s justice minister and the head of Georgia’s Bureau of Forensic Expertise discussed joint initiatives.

● A delegation from Armenia’s Ministry of Defence, led by Deputy Defence Minister Karen Brutyan, took part in an annual exhibition and conference in the United States held under the slogan “US Army: The Foundation of the Joint Force”.

● At the initiative of the ruling party’s parliamentary faction, a working discussion was held in parliament on the problems faced by displaced people from Karabakh, with representatives of government agencies taking part. Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Arsen Torosyan said there were no plans to increase the amount allocated to people displaced from Karabakh to purchase housing. “Apartments in Armenia have become more expensive. This indicates economic activity in the country. We suggest looking for housing not only in Yerevan or nearby settlements, but also in other towns and villages where an apartment can be purchased with the 5 million drams (about $13,000) provided for each family member,” Torosyan said.

● Liana Manukyan, an MP from the pro-Russian opposition Strong Armenia party, alleged possible corruption in the organisation of COP17. “Lanyards for badges were purchased at 1,248 drams (about $3) each. We could not find any lanyards on the market costing more than 55 drams (about $0.50). This is just one striking example, but there are many similar contracts containing illogical purchases. For instance, one item allocates almost 25,000 drams (about $70) for packaging. I want to understand exactly what we are packaging and what we are packaging it in if the cost per unit is that high. And 400 such packages are to be produced,” the MP said.

● Yerevan’s Council of Elders has approved salary increases for the mayor and other municipal officials. The mayor’s salary will rise from 1,320,000 drams to 2,080,000 drams ($5,745). The new salary of the first deputy mayor will be 1,913,600 drams ($5,300), that of a deputy mayor 1,830,400 drams ($5,000), that of an administrative district head 1,248,000 drams ($3,450), and that of the mayor’s adviser 915,200 drams ($2,500). Before the document was approved, the opposition proposed discussing it in an open session, but the ruling faction rejected the idea. Aram Torosyan, head of the National Progress faction, a pro-Russian opposition party, said they had wanted to discuss a proposal to increase all salaries by 30%, regardless of their initial level. The result, he said, was a huge imbalance, with the mayor’s and deputy mayors’ salaries significantly higher than those of other officials.

● “Salaries in the public sector are going up. Is that news? This is the overall trend, and there are reasons for it,” Yerevan Deputy Mayor Suren Grigoryan told journalists. Asked whether he found it difficult to live on his current salary, the deputy mayor replied: “There have been times when it was harder. But the amount I receive now no longer covers the needs that the same salary covered, for example, two years ago — or it covers them only with great difficulty. Do you believe that officials used to work for low salaries? I say this very responsibly: look at my asset declaration and see what amount is listed there — I have not earned a single penny more than my declared income. Yes, I believe that people working in the public sector should receive pay commensurate with their responsibilities and the work they do. My family lives on the amount you can see in my transparent declaration.”

● A court has found a resident of Navur village in Tavush Province guilty of hooliganism for sitting on the Navur–Berd road holding a placard containing an obscene expression: “Nikol, you who surrender land, … son.” According to the indictment, 50-year-old Aram Mailyan was drunk and “demonstrated clear disrespect for society and an openly contemptuous attitude towards legal and moral norms”. He was also accused of obstructing the free movement of vehicles.

● A specially protected natural area, the Hrazdan Gorge, will be established in Yerevan. The decision was adopted at a meeting of Yerevan’s Council of Elders. Around a quarter of the 33 plant species listed in Armenia’s Red Book grow in the Hrazdan Gorge. New endangered species are also regularly discovered there. The decision states that no buildings will be constructed within the gorge. Yerevan Deputy Mayor Armen Pambukhchyan said the future of restaurants and cafés already built in the gorge would be decided later, following discussions.

● The Constitutional Court has accepted for consideration a lawsuit seeking to ban five opposition parties. The lawsuit was filed by 88 MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party. The case will be heard by a seven-judge plenary panel. The request for a ban concerns the Unity – National Movement, Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia – Lelo, Federalists and Gakharia for Georgia parties. The ruling party accuses them of denying the legitimacy of the current government and the country’s constitutional order. According to the opposition, hearings will take place on 21–23 October, although the dates have not been officially confirmed.

● The Venice Commission has sharply criticised legislative amendments adopted in Georgia in March this year to the Law on Grants and other laws. The Commission said the changes do not serve to protect Georgia from foreign influence. Instead, they disproportionately restrict freedom of expression and association, increase state control and obstruct the activities of the political opposition. The Commission has called for a review of criminal penalties and noted that the vague wording of the laws gives the government excessive powers. The Georgian government refused to cooperate with the Commission in the preparation of its opinion. Read more here.

● The Patriarchate has refused to accredit journalists from the independent TV channels Pirveli and Formula to cover today’s Svetitskhovloba celebrations. Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Patriarchate’s public relations department, said representatives of these channels had repeatedly violated internal rules at churches over the years, worked outside the areas reserved for the media and disrupted religious services. Jagmaidze stressed that the decision was not intended to restrict journalistic activity.

● Former president Salome Zourabichvili called on European partners at the Warsaw Security Forum to properly assess Russia’s hybrid warfare in Georgia. According to her, Russian propaganda is attempting to change historical perceptions within Georgian society through social media and artificial intelligence. Zourabichvili linked Georgia’s political future to the outcome of the war in Ukraine and said the West should not fear Russia’s defeat. She argued that, on the contrary, Russia’s continued existence in its current form poses a threat to international security.

● The family and lawyer of convicted prisoner Giorgi Davitadze say that he continues to face pressure in prison. According to his lawyer, prison guards insulted Davitadze and confiscated his television. The prisoner’s mother says her son has been threatened with the disappearance of family members and is demanding his immediate transfer to another prison. Davitadze previously accused prison staff of sexual abuse, but the Prosecutor’s Office has completed its investigation and stated that no criminal offences had been proven.

● Parliament has approved at the first reading an extension of the tax relief available for unfinished buildings. Under the draft law, the VAT exemption for unfinished construction projects begun before August 2008 would remain in force until 1 January 2033, instead of expiring in 2029. The aim of the amendments is to make it easier for construction companies to secure financing to complete their projects. According to a parliamentary representative, the problems faced by around 12,000 of the more than 14,000 families affected by unfinished construction projects in Tbilisi have already been resolved through various means.

● Parliament has approved at the first reading a draft law stipulating that state maternity benefits will no longer be subject to seizure. The current maximum total amount of state maternity benefits is 2,000 lari (around $750). If the law is finally adopted, this amount will be protected from seizure during enforcement proceedings.

● Georgia’s foreign trade turnover increased by 9.2% in January–September 2026, reaching $20.5 billion. According to Geostat, exports rose by 19.6% to $6.15 billion, while imports increased by 5.3% to $14.38 billion. The trade deficit stands at $8.23 billion, accounting for 40.1% of total foreign trade turnover.

● A new, modern border checkpoint has opened at Mamisoni Pass on the border with Russia. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was built with the support of US European Command and relevant departments of the US Embassy. The high-tech checkpoint is located in the mountainous Racha region at an altitude of around 1,800 metres above sea level and is designed to operate in harsh climatic conditions. The opening ceremony was attended by Interior Minister Sulkhan Tamazashvili and Courtney Austrian, Chargé d’Affaires of the United States in Georgia.

● Authorities in Baku are actively monitoring compliance with school uniform rules for pupils and clothing requirements for teachers in state schools, including the requirement that they be secular. Female pupils and teachers wearing religious headscarves are being asked to remove them or face suspension from classes. Protests in support of classmates and colleagues have been held outside many schools. The Interior Ministry said 37 people had been arrested. More details and several videos here.

● The Media and Broadcasting Council urged citizens not to fall for information manipulation surrounding uniform dress rules in schools, saying that “certain groups are trying to politicise the issue and give it a religious character”. According to the Council, similar posts and comments are being deliberately circulated on social media, suggesting a coordinated campaign allegedly directed from abroad. The Council said the aim was to create the artificial impression of widespread public discontent and heighten social tensions.

● A delegation led by Czech Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik has arrived in Azerbaijan.

● Czech company Škoda Group plans to establish a joint venture in Baku to manufacture and service transport vehicles for markets in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Škoda Group deputy chairman Tomáš Ignačák announced the plan during an expanded meeting in Baku between Bednárik, representatives of Azerbaijan’s AZCON Transport and Communications Holding, and the country’s railway industry executives.

● Azerbaijan plans to expand railway cooperation with the Czech Republic, including the supply of engineering equipment, introduction of innovative technologies and infrastructure modernisation, AZCON executive director Shahin Babayev said. He stressed that Azerbaijan is investing heavily in railways, ports and logistics to strengthen its role in the North–South and East–West corridors and become a regional logistics hub.

● Czech direct investment in Azerbaijan reached $74 million between 1995 and the end of the first half of 2026, with around $70 million going to the non-oil and gas sector, a business forum in Baku was told. Azerbaijan’s investment in the Czech Republic over the same period totalled around $70 million. Thirty-four Czech companies operate in Azerbaijan, while transit freight between the two countries rose by 47% in 2025.

● President Ilham Aliyev held an expanded meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who is visiting Azerbaijan. Aliyev expressed confidence that the visit would be highly productive and continue efforts to develop active bilateral cooperation. Aliyev was invited to visit Cambodia.

● An Azerbaijan–Cambodia business forum was held in Baku, focusing on potential joint investment in renewable energy, agricultural processing, logistics and digital services. Oknha Sok Piseth, president of the Federation of Employers and Business Associations of Cambodia, said Cambodia could export rice, cashews, mangoes and other agricultural products through Azerbaijan to markets in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. He also highlighted prospects for transport and logistics cooperation, with Cambodia potentially helping connect ASEAN countries — the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which has 11 members — with the Caspian region.

● Cambodia is ready to offer Azerbaijani investors tax incentives for up to 12 years, allow full foreign ownership of businesses and guarantee the free repatriation of capital, Prime Minister Hun Manet said at the business forum. He cited the country’s young, skilled workforce, strategic location, access to regional markets and development of renewable energy among its advantages.

● Azerbaijan could learn from Cambodia’s experience in processing raw cotton into finished products, Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov said at the business forum. He said the countries could also develop logistics routes and cooperation in artificial intelligence, digital technologies, data centres and paperless trade. Jabbarov said Cambodia could provide Azerbaijani companies with access to Southeast Asian markets and urged businesses and logistics operators to explore opportunities for cooperation.

● Azerbaijan is preparing an agreement with Cambodia on the mutual protection and promotion of investment, Jabbarov said. The two countries have already signed an agreement on avoiding double taxation. He identified mining, green energy and investment projects in Azerbaijan’s industrial parks as potential areas for cooperation.

● Cambodia has called on Azerbaijan to open a full diplomatic mission in Phnom Penh.

● A delegation led by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni arrived in Azerbaijan to discuss expanding cooperation in emergency management. Momeni met President Ilham Aliyev, with both sides stressing the importance of high-level cooperation, including in security and public order.

● Momeni and Azerbaijan’s Emergency Situations Minister Kamaladdin Heydarov discussed information-sharing and coordination in responding to emergencies. The Iranian interior minister thanked Azerbaijan for providing humanitarian assistance during major emergencies.

● The president of Laos has arrived in Azerbaijan for an official visit.

● Azerbaijan has approved an agreement with Slovakia on the exchange and mutual protection of classified information.

● French company Vallourec, which specialises in high-quality seamless pipes, is joining the development of the Absheron gas field in the Caspian Sea off Azerbaijan. The company will supply more than 16,000 tonnes of seamless pipes, with around 159 km of anti-corrosion-coated line pipe also planned.

● Italy will be the main partner country at BakuBuild 2026, which opens in Baku tomorrow, 14 October, and will present a national pavilion featuring 24 companies. They will showcase construction and engineering solutions, innovative materials, energy-efficient technologies and products for sustainable urban infrastructure. The participation is organised by the Italian Trade Agency in cooperation with industry federations, with the stated aim of expanding trade and industrial cooperation with Azerbaijan.

● Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will make his first official visit to Azerbaijan in seven years. On 15 October, he will attend the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit as a special representative of the Chinese president. Talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov are also planned.

● A ceremony was held in Baku to launch the joint Azerbaijan–United Arab Emirates tactical flying exercises “Falcon Meet 2026”. Military aviation and air defence units are taking part.

● Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia had been established to some extent both de facto and de jure, although a peace treaty had not yet been signed. He said the two countries’ leaders had already initialled a peace agreement. Pashinyan also recalled the joint declaration on peace adopted in Washington on 8 August 2025 and said that in 2024 Baku and Yerevan had signed their first legally binding bilateral document on state border delimitation, which was subsequently ratified by both countries.

● Brenda Shaffer, an energy and foreign policy expert and Atlantic Council fellow, has outlined five lessons the world can learn from the rapid progress towards resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict:

1. Military action can shape diplomatic outcomes.
2. International organisations do not always play a constructive role in conflict resolution: despite four UN Security Council resolutions on Karabakh in 1993, they were never implemented.
3. Leadership is crucial: Shaffer links progress towards peace to the approaches of Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan.
4. The positions of the Armenian diaspora in the United States differ from the Armenian government’s efforts to pursue cooperation with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Diaspora organisations often oppose compromises because they do not directly bear the consequences of war.
5. The conflict was driven by geopolitics rather than religion, culture or history.

● Another group of Ukrainian residents has arrived in Azerbaijan for rehabilitation. The group comprises 30 people, including the wives and children of Ukrainian servicemen. Ukrainian Ambassador Yuriy Husyev told journalists that more than 700 Ukrainian children had by then completed the rehabilitation programme funded by the Azerbaijani authorities. “Ukraine will never forget Azerbaijan’s support,” the ambassador said.

● “I am convinced that Armenia will not become a second Ukraine,” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI). Asked whether he would continue to maintain good relations with Russia while moving closer to the European Union, Pashinyan replied: “Yes.”

● Nikol Pashinyan: “If you ask me whether Armenia is ready to become a member of the European Union today, I would say no. We still have many reforms to carry out to meet the criteria. Applying for membership itself implies that the process has reached a certain level of maturity. We are working very actively with the EU to implement reforms in the country as effectively as possible. But breaking off or worsening relations with Russia has never been, is not, and will never be one of our goals. On the contrary, we want to develop our relations with Russia. But we must acknowledge that, regardless of the political leadership, our relations with Russia cannot be the same as before. What has changed is that we were previously in conflict with Azerbaijan, whereas now there is peace.”

● Armenia is once again publicly pointing out that the discussion about withdrawing Russia’s 102nd military base from the country originated in Moscow, not Yerevan. Taron Chakhoyan, an MP from the ruling Civil Contract party, told journalists: “The Armenian government has never made any statements about withdrawing this military base. But Russia said that if Yerevan wanted it, they were ready to withdraw their military base from Armenian territory. Very well. Now, if they want the base to remain in Gyumri, let us discuss the conditions under which it can continue to be stationed there.”

● Foreign Minister and Minister of International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan met his Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski, during a visit to Warsaw. Particular attention was paid to deepening trade and economic cooperation. In this context, the sides welcomed the bilateral political consultations and Armenian-Polish business forum held in Yerevan in September. They also noted the positive growth in exports of Armenian products to the Polish market.

● On the sidelines of the Warsaw Security Forum, David Karapetyan, Secretary General of Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, met French Foreign Minister Martin Brens. The sides stressed the importance of exchanging experience, including in promoting exports, attracting investment and developing business ties.

● Deputy Foreign Minister Robert Abisoghomonyan said he had no information on whether representatives of Turkey and Azerbaijan would attend the upcoming UN-sponsored COP17 environmental summit in Yerevan. He said that, so far, only general registration figures were available, with more than 13,000 people registered.

● Armenia’s Investigative Committee said an Armenian woman and her children had been recognised as victims after being injured by an Azerbaijani serviceman who illegally crossed the border.

● A street altercation took place in Yerevan between the head of the Achapnyak district administration and Mesrop Manukyan, an MP from the pro-Russian opposition Armenia bloc. The dispute followed the district administration’s decision to demolish street kiosks, which was opposed by some local residents and Manukyan. Kiosk owners have been holding protests for several days, arguing that the structures are legal and that they have ownership documents.

● EU foreign ministers discussed the situation in Georgia in Luxembourg. According to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, democratic backsliding in Georgia is deepening, the threat of banning opposition parties is growing, and civil society activities are being restricted. Kallas said the EU’s current approach was not putting enough pressure on the Georgian authorities to bring about change. A more in-depth discussion of Georgia is scheduled for January.

● EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said Georgia’s EU candidate status existed only on paper. She said the EU was ready to resume cooperation with the Georgian authorities, but this would require halting democratic backsliding and changing controversial laws. Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said the Georgian people wanted a European future, but the authorities had failed to take the necessary steps. She added that diplomatic dialogue with Georgia was continuing.

● Following the meeting of EU foreign ministers, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the government was ready to reset relations with Brussels, but this would require the European Commission’s leadership to change its attitude towards Georgia. He said relations with some EU member states were showing positive changes, but “bureaucrats in the EU leadership continue to act against Georgia”. Kobakhidze said the government was ready to discuss all controversial laws with the EU, but would not give up the country’s sovereignty, peace or national identity in exchange for European integration.

● Irakli Kobakhidze again claimed that the EU was demanding that Georgia allow same-sex couples to adopt children and allow anyone who wished to legally change their gender, which the prime minister said was unacceptable.

● Irakli Kobakhidze confirmed that billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder and honorary chairman of the ruling party, actively participates in political decision-making. According to the prime minister, Ivanishvili is in regular contact with party representatives, offers advice and takes part in discussions on important issues. Kobakhidze nevertheless maintained that decisions are not made unilaterally. Ivanishvili holds no government office in Georgia.

● Irakli Kobakhidze commented on Russia’s ban on imports of products from several Georgian companies. The prime minister said the government was working to clarify the issue and hoped Russia would reverse its decision. The ban affects products from TbilWine, Teliani Veli, Dzmebi Askaneli, Nabeglavi and other companies.

● Russia’s Foreign Ministry again said Georgia should sign a non-use-of-force agreement with Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region (South Ossetia) and begin the delimitation of what Moscow calls their “state borders”. Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin made the statement during an online meeting with the co-chairs of the Geneva International Discussions on the conflicts in Georgia. In response, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said Georgia continued to demand the withdrawal of Russian occupying forces from Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, as well as the return to their homes in those territories of hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

● The Constitutional Court rejected Judge Manana Kobakhidze’s request to recuse herself from the case seeking to ban opposition parties. The judge said she had co-founded the ruling Georgian Dream party, served as an MP and repeatedly publicly criticised the opposition United National Movement, calling for its dissolution. The party is now among those whose activities the authorities are seeking to ban. Kobakhidze said this background could raise questions about her impartiality, but the Constitutional Court found no grounds for her recusal.

Context: On 6 October, the Constitutional Court agreed to hear Georgian Dream’s lawsuit seeking to ban five pro-Western opposition parties. The ruling party accuses them of denying the legitimacy of the current government and the country’s constitutional order.

● Tbilisi Court of Appeals will consider the cases of those convicted over the events of 4 October 2025 on 13 October at 17:00. Reports suggest that plea agreements may be reached with Murtaz Zodelava, Lasha Beridze, Guri Zhvania and Irakli Chkhvirkvia. Zodelava and Beridze are reportedly facing likely sentences of one year and one month, although neither the prosecution’s agreement nor the court’s decision has been confirmed.

● Opposition leader Giorgi Gakharia, who lives in Germany, plans to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg over the criminal cases brought against him in Georgia if domestic legal remedies are exhausted. His lawyer told journalists that video evidence submitted in the case proves Gakharia’s innocence, but the defence has little hope that Georgian courts will act impartially. More details on the criminal cases against Giorgi Gakharia here.

● Irakli Kobakhidze denied allegations by prisoner Giorgi Davitadze that prison staff had sexually assaulted and humiliated him. Kobakhidze said there was no evidence to support the allegations and that the actions shown in surveillance footage released by the prison administration “fully complied with the principle of proportionality from beginning to end”. According to the prime minister, the prosecutor’s office announced on 10 October that it had closed the investigation, stating that no criminal offences against the prisoner had been proven.

● OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis will visit Tbilisi on 16 October. Meetings with the prime minister and foreign minister are scheduled. The visit will focus on the consequences of the August 2008 war with Russia and the Geneva International Discussions on resolving conflicts in Georgia. Before arriving in Georgia, Cassis will visit Yerevan on 15 October.

● MPs from the ruling party have introduced amendments to the rules governing compulsory psychiatric treatment. Under the draft legislation, a special commission would review the grounds for continuing treatment every month, while a court would reconsider the matter every six months. The amendments are intended to implement a Constitutional Court ruling.

● Under a draft law submitted by the government, the maximum authorised strength of the Georgian Defence Forces in 2027 will remain at 37,000, unchanged from previous years. The figure sets the maximum permitted number of servicemen, not the actual number serving.

● Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of Georgia met representatives of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and international expert organisations to discuss the restoration of Gelati Monastery. According to the Patriarchate, specialists gave a positive assessment of the restoration work and discussed whether it complied with the recommendations.

● From 1 January 2027, pensions for people under 70 will rise by 45 lari (about $12) to 415 lari (about $160). The prime minister said the initial plan had been to increase pensions by only 20 lari, but the government had decided on a larger rise.

● The government will offer internally displaced families from Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region the option of receiving cash compensation instead of housing. Participation in the programme will be voluntary, with compensation set at 10,000 lari (about $4,000) per family member. The offer applies to families that have not yet received housing or equivalent compensation from the state.

● Georgian media reported that Iran’s ambassador to Tbilisi had been attacked by stray dogs, fallen and broken his leg. The ambassador himself posted a statement saying the report was mistaken and that the person injured was another embassy employee.

PHOTO, from left to right: Bidzina Ivanishvili and Irakli Kobakhidze

● EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Georgia in Luxembourg today, 12 October. According to EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski, the meeting was prompted by a deterioration in democracy and human rights in the country. The focus will be on arrests of protesters and restrictions on the activities of international funds. Grigol Gegelia, a representative of the opposition Lelo party, said ahead of the planned discussions that the government had squandered opportunities to improve relations with the EU and would now face serious consequences.

● The European Commission will publish its new enlargement report in around three weeks. EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski said the previous report on Georgia was extremely negative and that the situation had deteriorated further since then. He said problems with Georgia’s European integration process were the result of laws adopted by the government and its anti-European rhetoric.

● The EU has allocated €38 million for new projects in Georgia. Pawel Herczynski announced the funding at a Europe Day event in Telavi, in the Kakheti region. Programmes planned for 2026 will cover education, employment, rural development, expanding women’s economic opportunities, support for young people and vulnerable groups, and environmental protection. Addressing the audience in Georgian, the ambassador said the government’s anti-European rhetoric was damaging relations between Georgia and the EU, but stressed that the Union would continue to support Georgia’s European future.

● Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticised the EU delegation’s decision to invite the musical group “Impossible Situation” to the Europe Day event in Telavi. This is the second year in a row that the delegation has invited a performer known for insulting supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Kobakhidze called the move demonstrative and said such decisions undermine public trust in European institutions.

● Russia has temporarily banned imports from several Georgian companies. The document lists Teliani Veli, Tbilgvino, Askaneli Brothers, Weinman, Georgian Beer Company, Coca-Cola and Nabeglavi. Georgian wine exports to Russia fell to a four-year low in January–August 2026, reaching 34,898 tonnes worth $102.2 million. This was a 6.9% decline in volume compared with the same period last year. Russia nevertheless remains the largest export market for Georgian wine. JAMnews will publish a detailed analysis soon.

● Opposition politician and former National Bank president Roman Gotsiridze has warned that Georgia is becoming increasingly dependent on Russian natural gas. According to his figures, the share of Russian gas in the country’s total consumption rose from 1.7% in 2018 to 28% in 2025. Gotsiridze said this energy dependence gives Russia additional leverage to exert political pressure on Georgia and blamed the government for the situation.

● Irakli Kobakhidze described the US easing of restrictions on imports of Russian diesel fuel as vindication of his government’s policies. “This decision has once again shown that Georgia was right not to join the sanctions against Russia,” the prime minister said.

● Irakli Kobakhidze has raised the possibility of plea deals for those convicted in connection with the 4 October 2025 case, involving an attempt to seize the presidential administration building. He said the government was ready to take a “humane decision” on the prisoners if they admitted their crimes and expressed remorse. Kobakhidze accused some opposition figures of urging the prisoners not to accept plea deals “so that they can continue their efforts to deepen political confrontation in society”.

● Irakli Kobakhidze has accused Amnesty International of spreading disinformation, saying the organisation had “lost the trust of Georgian society”. The prime minister endorsed criticism of the organisation by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who described Amnesty International as a “rogue organisation” on 8 October. Rubio’s remarks followed a question about possible violations of international law involving the use of a US military airbase in Portugal.

● MP Guram Macharashvili has accused EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski of applying double standards. Macharashvili claims the ambassador takes different positions on police violence during protests in Georgia and France.

● The National Bank of Georgia has distanced itself from alleged unlawful business activities involving board member Nana Keinishvili. The bank said Keinishvili had acted independently and had not influenced the supervision of virtual asset service providers. The National Bank’s council has suspended her participation in its activities pending the completion of the investigation.

● Tbilisi’s 43rd pro-European “Saturday march”, held on the evening of 10 October, focused on systemic problems in Georgia’s prisons, following several allegations of torture and abuse made by inmates over the previous week. Public outrage was sparked by prisoner Giorgi Davitadze, who accused staff at Rustavi Prison No. 6 of sexual abuse. Read more here.

● Local residents staged a protest near the Lilo landfill on the outskirts of Tbilisi, demanding that it be relocated. They said they had been campaigning for its removal for 16 years, but the problem remained unresolved. Residents complained of unbearable smells, unsanitary conditions and health problems they associate with living near the landfill. They said the situation was particularly difficult in the evenings, when opening windows was impossible.

● An international symposium entitled “God, Homeland, Man” has opened in Tbilisi to mark the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity becoming the state religion of Georgia. Patriarch Shio III spoke about the relationship between technological progress and spiritual values. He also addressed residents of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, as well as Georgian citizens living abroad. Irakli Kobakhidze stressed the importance of cooperation between the state and the Church, while parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili highlighted Christianity’s role in preserving national identity.

● In his Sunday sermon, Patriarch Shio III said people should not rely solely on their own knowledge and efforts to achieve success. He stressed the importance of faith in God, prayer and seeking blessings. The sermon focused on the Gospel account of the miraculous catch of fish.

● Georgia’s Interior Ministry said around half a tonne of narcotic and psychotropic substances had been destroyed over the weekend, with an estimated black-market value exceeding 34 million lari (around $12 million). The substances included heroin, cocaine, methadone and others. According to the ministry, the drugs had been seized at various times and were destroyed under the supervision of a special commission as part of closed criminal cases.

● Members of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis and representatives of Azerbaijani NGOs have called on the US Congress to fully repeal Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.

Background: Section 907 of the US Freedom Support Act prohibits US government assistance to Azerbaijan. It was adopted by the US Congress in 1992 after Azerbaijan imposed a blockade on Armenia, following Armenia’s occupation of Karabakh and seven surrounding districts during the First Karabakh War. In August 2025, President Donald Trump signed a document suspending the provision.

In a joint letter sent to US senators and members of the House of Representatives over the weekend, 30 MPs and 11 NGO leaders and representatives also urged them to abandon unilateral assessments that could complicate the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The letter states, in particular:

• Section 907 no longer reflects the current state of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations.
• Its full repeal would send an important signal of congressional support for the regional peace process and mark the beginning of a new chapter in relations between Azerbaijan and the US.
• Azerbaijan has spent more than 30 years dealing with the consequences of conflict and the occupation of around 20% of its internationally recognised territory.
• Approximately 13% of the country’s territory is contaminated with an estimated 1.5 million landmines.
• The fate of thousands of people reported missing during the First Karabakh War remains unknown.
• The president of Azerbaijan is pursuing a strategic course aimed at achieving peace.
• Azerbaijan initiated the preparation of a peace agreement and submitted a draft to the Armenian side.

The signatories praised Donald Trump’s role in advancing the peace process and the Washington peace summit held on 8 August 2025.

“Peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia should not become a subject of inter-party disputes in Washington,” the letter states.

● The letter was a response to a statement addressed to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio by more than 100 American lawmakers, including 26 senators and 75 members of Congress. They called for an end to US military assistance to Azerbaijan over what they consider unjust convictions of ethnic Armenians in Baku. The statement also raised concerns about the destruction of Armenian Christian heritage in Azerbaijan and the continued military occupation of sovereign Armenian territory.

● Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic within the Russian Federation, has visited Azerbaijan. During a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Kadyrov expressed condolences over the deaths of passengers aboard an Azerbaijani airliner that was struck by Russian air defences as it approached Grozny from Baku in December 2024. Following the meeting, Aliyev and Kadyrov toured Baku’s White City, a modern residential district built as part of a major redevelopment project. The area was formerly known as Black City and became a centre of the oil industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For more than 150 years, industrial waste polluted the district, creating numerous “oil lakes”. The Azerbaijani president launched a major environmental redevelopment project there in 2011.

● Registration has been completed for a new joint Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan venture capital fund, named Tamar Ventures. Its founders are Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency and Kazakhstan’s White Hill Capital venture capital fund. The fund has authorised capital of $1 million. White Hill Capital, which has operated since 2021, reportedly invests primarily in start-ups from Central Eurasia.

● Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has arrived in Azerbaijan on an official visit, accompanied by his wife.

● Azerbaijan’s National NGO Forum has urged the public not to “fall for provocations by external forces” amid new school dress-code requirements. A cabinet resolution sets a uniform standard for school clothing across the country, in line with the secular nature of general education. It also establishes requirements for teachers’ clothing, which must be “professional and secular”. Some commentators have linked the measures to a ban on wearing hijabs in schools. “In recent days, information attacks have been launched in Iran and other countries against Azerbaijan’s secular system of government. Their authors promote the principles of Sharia law and create artificial divisions in society. We strongly condemn the politicisation of dress-code requirements for pupils and teachers and attempts to turn this issue into a religious confrontation,” the forum said in a statement. The statement describes secularism as a historic achievement, a state tradition and a national asset of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan made history as the first country in the Muslim East and the Turkic world to establish a tradition of secular statehood. […] Those seeking to return Azerbaijan to a dark age of ignorance, impose clerical rule and turn the country into a version of Iran governed by religious dogma will not achieve their aims,” the statement said.

● Participants in the fourth international conference, the Baku Dialogue on Missing Persons, have made a familiarisation trip to Karabakh.

● A group of travellers from the international Most Traveled People club were given the opportunity to observe demining operations in Karabakh and surrounding areas that Azerbaijan regained control of following the 2020 Second Karabakh War. Representatives of Azerbaijan’s National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) outlined the scale of mine contamination attributed to Armenian armed forces during the period of occupation. Particular attention was paid to how the mine threat prevents former internally displaced persons from safely returning to their homes and hampers reconstruction. The group comprised around 40 people from 13 countries.

● Azerbaijani judoka achieved a historic result at the World Championships held in Baku from 4 to 11 October. In the team standings, they won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals. The individual competitions also produced a record haul of seven medals.

● Winners of the third international ultramarathon, held from 7 to 11 October along the 192-kilometre route from Gabala to Khankendi in Karabakh, have been awarded their prizes in Khankendi. Georgian athlete David Kharazishvili won the men’s fourth and final stage. Andrei Egorov of Lithuania finished second, followed by Azerbaijan’s Elshad Nasibov in third place. Ukraine’s Elena Shevchenko won the women’s overall title. Leila Abdinova of Russia came second, while Azerbaijan’s Natalia Vallek finished third. Kharazishvili and Shevchenko also won the first two stages of the ultramarathon. A total of 97 athletes from six countries took part.

● An EU regulation liberalising around 80% of Armenian goods exports to the EU comes into force today, 12 October. Experts say the move is expected to provide a significant boost to Armenia’s flower-growing industry. In 2025, Armenia produced around 204 million flowers, 70% of which were intended for export. Russia was traditionally a major market for Armenian flowers but banned their import after Yerevan declared its commitment to European integration. Armenian producers are already exporting flowers to Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Trial shipments have also been made to Turkey, and talks are under way to enter the UAE market.

● Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has officially launched the development of the Amulsar gold mine. He said the fate of the investment project was crucial for attracting further investment to Armenia. The government needs to review the experience gained so far and develop approaches for implementing other major investment programmes, he said. Pashinyan noted that the project had previously sparked various forms of public discontent, but no protests were currently taking place. In his view, this indicated that the public had accepted the project. The mine is expected to boost Armenia’s GDP by 1.5% annually.

● The 35th anniversary of Armenia’s independence was marked with a formal ceremony in Washington. Armenia’s ambassador said the event featured speeches by US Deputy Secretary of Commerce Jeffrey Kessler, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Peter Andreoli, and NVIDIA vice-president Rev Lebaridian. “The discussions addressed deepening the Armenian-American strategic partnership and strengthening peace,” the ambassador said.

● More than 100 American lawmakers, including 26 senators and 75 members of the House of Representatives, addressed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They called for an end to US military assistance to Azerbaijan over what they consider unjust convictions of ethnic Armenians in Baku. The statement also raised concerns about the destruction of Armenian Christian heritage in Azerbaijan and the continued military occupation of sovereign Armenian territory.

● Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will visit Poland on 12–13 October to attend the Warsaw Security Forum.

● Armenia has some of the most expensive petrol in the region. According to Numbeo, a litre costs around $1.44, compared with approximately $1.20 in Georgia, $1.29 in Turkey and $0.65 in Azerbaijan. Iran has the cheapest petrol among Armenia’s neighbours, at around $0.35 per litre.

● Yandex taxi services in Yerevan were disrupted following a Ukrainian strike on the company’s data centre in the Russian city of Vladimir. The Yandex mobile app temporarily stopped working. Other services were also affected, including public transport arrival-time information in Yerevan, which is available only through the Yandex app.

● Yerevan celebrated its 2,808th anniversary with a series of events, including concerts, exhibitions and shows.

● Fashion Week has opened in Yerevan.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 5-9 October, 2026