▲Azerbaijan’s Parliamentary Speaker Sahiba Gafarova signs the memorandum of cooperation as her Georgian counterpart looks on. Official image.
The Trump/Musk cuts could shut us down — permanently
You can help us survive with a monthly membership or a single donation for as little as $5. In a world drowning in disinformation, your support means we can continue bringing you the real, fact-checked stories that matter.
Azerbaijan’s Parliamentary Speaker Sahiba Gafarova and her Georgian counterpart Shalva Papuashvili have signed a memorandum of cooperation between their respective legislative bodies.
According to a press release issued by the Georgian Parliament, the parties agreed to ‘develop inter-parliamentary cooperation in the spirit of strategic partnerships’.
In particular, the memorandum is intended to ‘promote the establishment of regular contacts’ between parliamentary committees and MPs, in order to facilitate the sharing of experiences.
The document was signed on Monday as part of Gafarova’s official visit to Georgia, the first such visit following Georgia’s October 2024 parliamentary elections.
According to Papuashvili, such a meeting was an indication of ‘high-level friendly relations’ between Azerbaijan and Georgia, citing Azerbaijan’s recognition of the new parliament.
According to official results, October’s parliamentary elections gave the ruling Georgian Dream party a large majority, with 54% of the vote. Following Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement regarding the halting of Georgia’s EU accession process shortly after, Georgians across the country have held daily protests for more than 100 days, including calling for new elections.
In addition to signing the agreement with Papuashvili, Gafarova met with Kobakhidze and Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili. During these meetings, the memorandum was highlighted, as was the importance of continuing to strengthen ties between Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as the trilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey.
After years in academia, Xandie returned to Georgia to join OC Media. Her previous work with non-profits focused on Eurasian affairs, particularly queer and gender rights and green politics. She’s also a fan of foreign cinema, tea, and books (but not spilling tea on books).
Over the last month, Azerbaijan’s official government news agency Azertac has published multiple articles focusing on ethnic Azerbaijani candidates running for the ruling Georgian Dream party, while failing to provide a platform for Azerbaijani opposition candidates.
On 16 October, Azertac interviewed Georgian Dream MP Zaur Darghalli, who said that his party had guaranteed stability in Georgia, and elaborated on how it was able to keep the peace for the last 12 years.
‘These elections are
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that there was insufficient evidence to prove beyond doubt that the Georgian Government abducted investigative journalist Afgan Mukhtarli and handed him over to Azerbaijan.
Mukhtarli, a prominent journalist known for investigating official corruption in Azerbaijan, disappeared from the streets of Tbilisi on the night of 29 May 2017. He reappeared in Azerbaijani custody a day later and was charged with illegally crossing the border.
In it
An independent Azerbaijani journalist has alleged that the Georgian authorities have barred him from leaving the country, unless he travels to Azerbaijan.
Afgan Sadigov, the head of the independent Azerbaijani news outlet and YouTube channel Azel.TV, claimed on 17 July that Georgian border guards prevented him and his family from flying from Tbilisi to Antalya. According to Sadigov, he was told he could only return to Azerbaijan.
‘I couldn’t leave Georgia for a third country. I have two
The latest from the Georgian probe into two former officials accused of pursuing an adverse border arrangement with Azerbaijan has hinted at yet unidentified senior officials under the former government. The critics fear that the case might be politically motivated.
On 21 January, the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office unveiled surveillance materials involving Iveri Melashvili and Natalia Ilichova, the two Georgian cartographers indicted for forfeiting state lands to Azerbaijan.
The prosecution ar
