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

●  The biggest event of the past weekend in Azerbaijan was heavy snowfall, disrupting transportation nationwide. Intercity bus and train services were widely delayed or canceled, a national football championship match was postponed, and some universities switched to remote learning.

●  Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has arrived in Azerbaijan for an official visit.

● Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili [whose legitimacy is disputed by the opposition and a significant part of Georgian society] called Georgia’s relationship with Azerbaijan “exemplary” in an interview with Azerbaijan’s Real TV.

He emphasized Georgia’s “strong interest in regional peace and stability”, praised Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as an “exemplary leader,” and expressed hope that his “first foreign visit as president will be to Baku.”

●  A second cyberattack in recent days has targeted major news websites of the pro-government Global Media group (Report, Oxu, Baku TV, Caliber). The attack was repelled, and the media group reported that all sites had resumed normal operations by this morning.

● Georgia is the only country co-sponsoring the U.S. resolution at the UN Security Council, which does not explicitly name Moscow as the aggressor. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports on this.

According to WSJ, the U.S. is calling for a “swift end to the conflict” and expressing sorrow over the “tragic loss of life in the Russia-Ukraine war.” The resolution does not specify who started the war or make direct demands on the Kremlin.

“It has just one co-sponsor—the Georgian government, whose ties with Moscow have recently warmed,” the article notes.

The resolution may be voted on today, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

●  A solidarity march for Ukraine is planned for this evening in the centre of Tbilisi.

● Today, lawmakers from the ruling party are set to introduce several new bills in parliament, whose legitimacy is disputed by the opposition and a significant part of the Georgian public. The proposals include:

• Removing legal provisions that require NGOs to participate in decision-making on public interest issues.

• Replacing last year’s controversial “foreign influence transparency” law—dubbed the “Russian law” by critics—with a direct copy of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

• Establishing media objectivity and journalistic ethics standards “in line with the British model and legislation.”

● Commenting on the FARA-style bill, the speaker of Georgia’s one-party parliament Shalva Papuashvili said: “This will be a word-for-word translation of FARA. If anyone has issues with a word, comma, or period in the text, they can take it up with the U.S. and explain what they dislike about the American system.”

●  A brutal murder in Tbilisi has sparked controversy. A 23-year-old man was beaten to death with a cutting board by Giorgi Papashvili, a recently released convict. Reports suggest he was among the 600+ prisoners amnestied in January by President Mikheil Kavelashvili, who was appointed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.

Kavelashvili’s administration denies this claim.

Meanwhile, the suspect has fled the country and is now on the wanted list.

● U.S. Congressman Joe Wilson has condemned the fines imposed on protesters in Georgia.

“The illegitimate Ivanishvili regime is imposing massive fines on the brave Georgian People for simply exercising their rights to free speech and assembly and calling for free and fair elections in line with the Georgian constitution. The Georgian People will not be intimidated!” he wrote on X.

The ruling Georgian Dream party has increasingly used fines as a tool of repression. Protesters are routinely charged with blocking roads, with fines reaching 5,000 GEL ($1,800)—almost 20 times the country’s subsistence minimum.

● The Barbare care home for people with disabilities in Ureki, Western Georgia, is urgently calling for help. Heavy snowfall has left the facility without power for three days, leaving residents without heating. Reports on social media suggest the roof has buckled under the weight of the snow, posing a real risk of collapse. The care home is urging local authorities to step in before it’s too late.

●  Deputy Minister of Economy Edgar Zakaryan discussed prospects for cooperation with Iran on establishing joint industrial zones in Armenia during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Dehghan Dehnavi, in Tehran.

●  A court has placed opposition figure Edgar Kazaryan under administrative control, banning him from publicly criticizing law enforcement and the judiciary.

Kazaryan was accused of making threats or publishing personal information about law enforcement officials.

● Armenian athlete Vaagn Davtyan won gold in the first stage of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Cottbus, Germany.

●  The Apres Ski festival took place in Tsaghkadzor, Armenia.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 17-21 February, 2025