Latest news in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, 10-14 July, 2023

●  Vitaly Vantsev, co-owner of Vnukovo airport and the Azimut airline, said in an interview with RBC, that a transit hub is being created in Tbilisi for Russians to fly to Europe.

Direct flights between Moscow and Tbilisi resumed in May this year. The flights are carried out by the Russian company Azimut and Georgian Airways.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Vantsev, Georgian Airways, and the Georgian airline’s founder Tamaz Gaiashvili.

●  A letter signed by 44 MEPs calls on the Georgian authorities to transfer former President Saakashvili to one of the EU clinics “where he will be able to receive the necessary medical care”.

● “We do not abandon friends in need”, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote, commenting on the arrival in Georgia of a group of Polish doctors who are to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the condition of jailed Mikheil Saakashvili.

●  Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze: “I am sure that Georgian Dream will win the 2024, 2025 and 2028 elections.”

●  The Georgian Foreign Ministry has commented on the International Geneva Discussions, which took place 11-12 July.

“Due to the destructive position of the representatives of Russia and its occupation regimes, one of the most important issues of the
of the agenda of the negotiations was the safe and dignified return of the internally displaced persons and refugees expelled from the occupied territories as a result of ethnic cleansing. As soon as discussion of this issue began, the representatives for Moscow, Sukhumi, and Tskhinvali left the negotiations”.

In a statement, representatives for Abkhazia said: “During the round, the Georgian delegation once again failed to demonstrate a constructive approach in resolving key issues on the agenda.

The Georgian participants once again continue to block any proposals to agree on the text of a document on the non-use of force”.

A statement from the Ossetian representative is as follows: “The Georgian participants’ attempt to move the rallying hysteria from the streets of Tbilisi to the Geneva platform has not been successful”.

●  In the first 5 months of 2023, 75 minor victims of sexual violence were registered in Georgia.

●  “Everyone in Tbilisi will feel more secure when the people seen in the video are arrested and punished”: US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan regarding the footage of homophobic groups trashing the area where the Pride festival was to be held last Saturday.

Photo: Vitaly Vantsev, co-owner of Vnukovo Airport and Azimut Airlines

● The next meeting between Ilham, Aliyev, Charles Michel and Nikol Pashinyan will be held in Brussels on 15 July.

●  The work of the gold mining company in the village of Soyudliu in Gedabey has been suspended
The second meeting of the government commission set up to investigate levels of pollution in the village of Soyudlu has decided that the gold mining company’s work should be suspended.
“Taking into account the danger to nature and people’s health, it was decided to temporarily stop the company’s activity,” Prime Minister Ali Asadov said.

●  In Chopurlu village of Kelbajar district, a beekeeper was blown up by a landmine. 59-year-old Sahib Aliyev has been hospitalized and a criminal case has been opened.
“Baku calls on the international community not to turn a blind eye to Armenia’s policy of mined territories,” the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.

●  There are plans to resettle 66 thousand people in Karabakh by 2026. This was stated by special representative of the Azerbaijani President in the liberated territories Emin Huseynov. According to the special representative of the Azerbaijani President in the liberated territories, Emin Huseynov, they plan to build 2 towns and 32 villages in the programme’s first stage.

●  Azerbaijani Defence Minister Zakir Hasanov held a meeting with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in Baku. “The sides particularly emphasised the importance of further strengthening strategic relations and expanding security ties,” the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said in a statement.

●  Foreign direct investment in Azerbaijan’s economy totalled $1.5bn in the first quarter of the year; the UK, Turkey and Cyprus were the top three investors.

●  The locations of the blood donation centres which will be running in Azerbaijan on Ashura Day (28 July) have been announced.

●  Two Armenian servicemen were wounded yesterday in Azerbaijani shelling.

●  The Armenian Foreign Ministry has agreed to determine a date and place for the next meeting of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Commission with their Azerbaijani counterparts.
This will be the commission’s fifth meeting.

● EU spokesperson on foreign policy Nabila Massrali has made a statement saying that the EU supports the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross and calls on Baku to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin corridor.

● The Secretary of the Armenian Security Council Armen Grigoryan with US Deputy Energy Secretary Catherine Huff have discussed possible nuclear power. The US is currently considering building small nuclear reactors in Armenia and other Eurasian states.

● During his working visit to France the Armenian Parliament Speaker, Alen Simonyan, met with the chairman of the Republicans’ Faction, Bruno Retailleau, who said that the inhabitants of not only Nagorno-Karabakh, but also Armenia, are under threat.

●  Another 23 families, made up of 85 Internally Displaced Persons, moved from Baku to the city of Lachin early this morning.

●  The head of the Israeli Defence Ministry, Yoav Galant, has arrived in Baku after receiving an invitation from the Azerbaijani government. The visit is aimed at strengthening strategic relations, political co-operation and expanding ties in the fields of security and technology.

● Government pollution tests in the village of Soyudlu in Gadabay has not revealed any excess of hazardous substances.
“According to the information provided by the Health Ministry, it was found that there were no serious health consequences for the villagers,” Environment and Natural Resources Minister Mukhtar Babayev has stated.
Read more about the protests in Soyudlu here: 

● The academic secretary of Azerbaijan’s Higher Attestation Commission has been accused of corruption.
Shafa Aliyev is charged with “unlawful influence on the decision of an official” and “abuse of official powers”. Aliyev facilitated the awarding of academic degrees to a number of persons in exchange for money. He was suspended from his post and the court has placed him under house arrest.

● In Azerbaijan, catering facilities will now be classified under the five-star system, following the example of hotels. The rating system will be voluntary and carried out at the request of entrepreneurs.

● MEP Viola Von Kramon took part in a press conference in Strasbourg with Nika Gvaramia, founder of the opposition TV channel Mtavari. “We think that there will be an attempt to pressure and intimidate the population, we know all their tricks [which aim] to adjust the election results in their favour”.

● MEP Miriam Lexmann: “There is deep polarisation in Georgia. We think the situation has to change – it is unhealthy.”

● Batu Kutelia of the Foreign Policy Research Institute: “It is a historical injustice that at this stage in Georgia, the Georgian Dream government is the government that decided to cut all the strings with NATO to please Russia.”

● According to the head of the medical department of the special penitentiary service, Malkhaz Urtkhmelidze, Mikheil Saakashvili feels much better and is gaining weight. According to him, when the health condition of the former president, who is now in Vivamedi clinic in Tbilisi, improves, he will be returned to prison.

● Chairman of the parliamentary faction of the ruling Georgian Dream Mamuka Mdinaradze said, regarding the results of the NATO summit in Vilnius, “Let’s face it – unfortunately, our labour, dedication, and sacrifice has not been properly appreciated. Ukraine, by the way, was not appreciated either.”

● Mikheil Saakashvili: “In Vilnius, Georgia was separated from Ukraine. Georgia could have received what Ukraine received, a simplified procedure for joining NATO. But not only Georgia did not get anything, but also the need to promote reforms was stressed, which in diplomatic language means that the situation is difficult. “It is a fact that Ukraine will become a NATO member in a few months. After yesterday, every Georgian is more vulnerable, and if Georgians themselves do not change the situation, the existence of the country will be threatened.”

● In Batumi, a man has been detained on the charge of raping his 13-year-old daughter. The girl is now being examined in Tbilisi.

? Niki Gvaramia’s meeting with MEPs.

●  A statement released after the first day of the NATO summit in Vilnius confirms Georgia’s right to potentially join the alliance, but only after they have fulfilled all the standard conditions, including the Membership Action Plan.

●  Deputy of the ruling Georgian Dream Party Irakli Zarkua: “Georgia is ready to become a member of NATO, but NATO is not ready to take this step.”

● Georgian Dream Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze: “We are clean before the EU, they have all the means to grant us the [candidate] status.”

●  Georgian Foreign Minister, Ilia Darchiashvili’s, brother-in-law has requested political asylum in the US, Girchi TV reported.
Irakli Vashakidze has cited “persecution by Georgian authorities” as his basis for seeking asylum, according to the TV station.

● A 15-year-old teenager died as a result of an electric shock in Tskhneti, a suburb of Tbilisi. The tragedy occurred in the neighbourhood of a local public garden. According to media reports, construction works were underway in the garden.

● The Young Lawyers Association has said that the reorganisation of the Ministry of Culture, after Thea Tsulukiani was appointed as head of the department, “was not carried out in the interests of the department, but rather to disguise the sacking of unwanted staff.”

●  A Tbilisi appeals court has acquitted the Georgian tennis player Nikoloz Basilashvili, who was accused of domestic violence.

●  In western Georgia, the gas supply has been interrupted in the municipalities of Zugdidi, Khobi, Tsalendzhikha and Anaklia. The Khobistskali River overflowed because of heavy rain, damaging the main gas pipeline.

● 186 patients in Nagorno-Karabakh are waiting to be transferred to specialised medical centres in Armenia to receive emergency medical care.
However, due to Baku’s ban on International Committee of the Red Cross vehicles travelling along the Lachin corridor, it is currently impossible to transport patients.

● Pashinyan and Blinken discussed the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh by phone. The Armenian PM and the US Secretary of State spoke about the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the protection of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians’ security, including the need for Baku-Stepanakert dialogue with international participation.

● If there are new acts of aggression, we count on France’s support, Parliament Speaker Alain Simonyan said to his French counterpart Gerard Larcher.

● Lawyers have started another three-day strike in protest against police violence.

They held a rally and presented the head of the police with a certificate labelling him as an “enemy of the lawyers’ community”.

● The ruling party has ousted the head of the Parliamentary Commission for the Protection of Human Rights, Taguhi Tovmasyan.
Both the ruling Civil Pact party and the two opposition blocs have already announced that they will not nominate candidates to fill the vacated position.

● Ilham Aliyev has responded to the events that took place in June in Soyudliu for the first time. He sharply criticised the Ministry of Ecology for negligence and also stood up for police officers:

“Citizens should show culture, as they say, good manners, obey the law, not throw stones at the police. Stoning the police does not honour anyone. That’s one. Secondly, it is a crime. If Azerbaijani police show tolerance, it does not mean that anyone can throw stones at them.
“This is completely unacceptable. I tell everyone, we are not going to indulge anyone. If need be, we will punish whoever we have to punish in a way that they will regret what they have done.”

● Ilham Aliyev has announced high-level talks with Armenia on the peace treaty in the coming days.
“We have put forward this initiative. However, I say once again, not everything depends on us, the opposite side should also be ready for it and should carry out the principles set out in words and on paper,” Aliyev explained.

●  The International Committee of the Red Cross has recognised Azerbaijan’s accusations of illegal transport through Lachin.
The international organisation is aware of the information about the movement of undeclared products and does not support such activities.
“Unfortunately, the drivers of four rented vehicles with temporary ICRC emblems attempted to smuggle commercial goods in their vehicles without informing us. These individuals were not ICRC staff and their service contracts were immediately cancelled,” the ICRC’s Baku office said.

● “Armenia has been using ICRC convoys for illegal activities and undermining its core humanitarian mission. Because of this, Azerbaijan was forced to suspend the passage of International Committee of the Red Cross vehicles,” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Ayhan Hajizadeh wrote on social media.

●  Baku has urged Yerevan to fulfil the ruling of the International Court of Justice. “Contrary to Armenia’s lies, the ICJ did not find that the SRR interferes with traffic on the Lachin road, nor did it find Azerbaijan in violation of the decree of 22 February,” Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov said.

“We urge Armenia to comply with the court order to refrain from any actions that may aggravate the parties’ dispute and put an end to its obstructionist behaviour, which is hindering the work of the SPT,” he added.

●  “An Azerbaijani serviceman was wounded as a result of Armenian shelling,” the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry said. “The incident took place around 16:00. Fire was opened in the direction of Lachin district. Huseyn Abdullayev has been hospitalised. His life is not under threat,” the Ministry added.

●  Azerbaijani border guard Jahid Aliyev died while on duty because of gunfire. The State Border Service and the Military Prosecutor’s Office are investigating.
●  The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan has commented on the Armenian national team’s desire to take part in the World Shooting Championship in Baku.

“During the competition, the security of athletes and members of delegations of all participating countries will be fully ensured,” the Ministry’s spokesman Gabil Mehdiyev said.

●  SOCAR has become the official sponsor of Turkish FC Galatasaray. The team will wear T-shirts with the emblem of the Azerbaijani oil company at all European Cup matches, with the new sponsorship agreement to last for three years.

●  Football club Qarabağ FK has won 2:1 against Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. The Azerbaijani team’s home match against the Gibraltar team will be held on 18 July in Baku.

● Azerbaijan has revealed numerous facts of smuggling attempts with the help of Red Cross vehicles through the Lachin border checkpoint, an investigation is underway. Traffic along the Lachin road has been stopped, Azerbaijani pro-government media write.Azerbaijan has revealed numerous facts of smuggling attempts with the help of Red Cross vehicles through the Lachin border checkpoint, an investigation is underway. Traffic along the Lachin road has been stopped, Azerbaijani pro-government media write.

● An Afghan citizen has been detained in Azerbaijan for planning to carry out a terrorist attack.

● The Kremlin has welcomed Aliyev’s stance on the need to ensure the “political neutrality” of the 2024 Olympics.
“We highly appreciate the position of the Azerbaijani leadership, we share it. We have repeatedly stated that the politicisation of sport is unacceptable,” Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

● “Armenia is not complying with measures to build trust, such as the return of Azerbaijani military personnel who accidentally crossed the border,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Ceyhun Bayramov claimed at a meeting with the Cardinal Secretary of State of Vatican City, Pietro Parolin, in Baku. “I would like to see the establishment of a representative office of the Caucasus Muslims Administration in the Vatican,” Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Directorate, stated at a meeting with Pietro Parolin.
Pashazade added that preparations for the Summit of World Religious Leaders in Azerbaijan are now underway, and he invited Vatican representatives to the event.

● Iran has promised to provide the Azerbaijani embassy in Tehran with “maximum protection”.
“Iran realises its responsibility and will act responsibly. Naturally, the embassy of this country will be protected as much as possible,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said.

● Azerbaijani border guard Kenan Bakiyev has been shot dead in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, according to the military prosecutor’s office.

● A new Azerbaijani satellite from the company Azercosmos will be put into orbit by an Israeli company.

● At a briefing, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that the US hopes that talks between Yerevan and Baku will continue in the coming months and believes an agreement between the countries is possible.

● The Nubarashen landfill is on fire again. Firefighters have been trying to put out the blaze for three days; 3 thousand square metres of rubbish have already burned. It took three days to put out the last fire at the landfill.

● A campaign to strip Taghui Tovmasyan, head of the parliamentary commission for the protection of human rights, of her power has been started by the ruling Civic Contract party. She is the only commission head from an opposition party.

● A festival of edible plants will be held in Dsegh. The event will include a walking tour with wild plant viewing and a bicycle ride through the gorge of the Debet River.

● President Putin has signed a law ratifying an agreement between Russia and Abkhazia on dual citizenship.
Under the new agreement, Russians will be able to acquire Abkhazian citizenship without renouncing Russian citizenship and vice versa.

● Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili will attend the NATO summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July

● Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili: “Over the last decade, Georgia has fundamentally changed its democratic institutions, abandoned its authoritarian system of governance and upgraded its defence capabilities to NATO standards. And NATO, from summit to summit, only repeats its promise of membership.”

● Eight of the nine defendants in the case of the electrocution of a teenage girl in a fountain in Tbilisi’s Vake Park have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. The director of Greenservice+, Lasha Purtsvanidze, received the longest sentence at 6 years. His company was repairing the fountain shortly before the tragedy.

● The Georgian State Security Service reported the release of six citizens illegally detained last Friday by the Russian military in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

● The state will annually finance cancer treatment abroad for up to 300 children. This was announced by Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili. The programme will be approved by the end of the month.

● Due to bad weather, the Kutaisi airport temporarily stopped working. Heavy rain and wind damaged part of the roof of the airport, de-energized part of the premises, flooded the runway. The Russian airline Red Wings was unable to operate its first flight from Moscow. It should be noted that a protest action was planned at the airport against direct communication with the Russian Federation.
A heavy downpour hit Boutmee as well. In the photo – the flooded streets of the city.

● Azerbaijan has blocked Nagorno-Karabakh’s only gas pipeline. Fuel reserves are almost depleted, and gas stations will soon have to stop operating.

● Nikol Pashinyan met Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in Batumi, and watched the England-Spain U21 European Championship final match with him.

● France has a new ambassador to Armenia. Olivier Decottignies will take up the position on July 21.

● The Golden Apricot International Film Festival has opened in Yerevan. A special guest this year is the Japanese director and actor Takeshi Kitano.

● Armenian lavash came 9th in TasteAtlas’ international bread rankings. Matnakash was judged to be 62nd best, while zhengyalov khats came in 67th place.

● The NSC of Armenia is investigating Telegram channels claiming to sell US visas and European passports. One of them promised a Spanish or German passport for $11,000 and a British passport for $12,000. The seller required a 50% deposit in cryptocurrency and all personal details.

● “Azerbaijan feels that Iran has a serious intention to normalise relations and will take adequate steps in response. The investigation into the attack on the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran is nearing completion, and we expect the perpetrators to be punished seriously,” Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said.

● Under an agreement imposed on Saturday, citizens of Azerbaijan and the UAE now have mutual visa-free travel.

● The traditional summer fair ‘From Village to City’ was held in Baku over the weekend.

● Queer activists have organised an “exhibition” outside parliament in Tbilisi, to display the items burned and destroyed by homophobic groups on Saturday during Pride. “What happened on July 8 is a coordinated action with two authors – the radicals from the pro-Kremlin Alt-Info movement, and the Georgian Interior Ministry,” the activists believe.

● The Interior Ministry has confirmed that two people were detained during the violence and vandalism on Saturday that led to the festival cancelling events because of the security risk.

● Mikheil Saakashvili: “I do not want any position, but I am open to relations with all the social forces. Ukraine and Zelensky will not leave me.”

● In Rustavi a man arrested on charges of abusing his 9-year-old stepson has been released. No preventative measures or restrictions have been implemented.

The main topics of the day in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, 3-7 July, 2023