JAMnews English

06/06/2024

В Армении уже более 220 учителей получают зарплату в 1 000 долларов. Это существенное повышение: средняя зарплата в Армении около $700, а педагоги обычно находятся в числе низко оплачиваемых. Кому и на каком основании теперь выплачиваются высокие зарплаты - подробнее на JAMnews

Повышение зарплат учителей в Армени: реформы образования. Министр образования и науки сообщила депутатам парламента последние данные о том, ко

01/05/2024

The main topic in Armenia continues to be the process of border delimitation and demarcation with Azerbaijan. Discussions are ongoing, even in parliament. One of the opposition factions has proposed issuing a statement regarding the progress of the ongoing delimitation process of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The draft presented by the “Hayastan” faction suggested delimiting the borders between the countries not based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration but along the line of contact as of September 24, 1993. Opposition members claim that under the guise of a “so-called pilot delimitation,” Armenia’s territories are being gradually handed over to the enemy, piece by piece.

Delimitation according to the Alma-Ata Declaration implies maintaining the administrative borders of both countries at the time of the USSR’s dissolution. The 1993 line of contact reflects the realities following the military actions. In light of this, the ruling faction declared that the opposition’s project contains “dangers and risks” to statehood.

“You legitimize the right to force. When force begins to act, your ally [referring to Russia] will once again fail to fulfill its obligations. And what has happened many times before will happen again,” said parliament vice-speaker Ruben Rubinyan.

However, the opposition argued that it is the ruling team’s actions that will “turn Armenia into a Russian province.”

The draft statement did not even make it to the agenda. 27 deputies voted in favor of its consideration, while 51 voted against.

28/04/2024

According to the National Statistics Service, in 2023, the number of immigrants in Georgia reached 245,064 people, which is 95.6% higher than the previous year. 75.9% of immigrants and 62.2% of emigrants are of working age (15-64 years).

As of January 1, 2024, the population of Georgia is 3,694,600 people, which is 1.1% less compared to the same period last year.

In 2023, a negative natural increase (-2,542) and negative migration balance (-39,207) were recorded.

27/04/2024

A bipartisan group of 14 American senators has published a critical joint letter to the Georgian government. US lawmakers pledge sanctions, visa restrictions, and a review of financial support for Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime (an oligarch and honorary chairman of the ruling party “Georgian Dream”) in the event of the adoption of a “foreign agents” law, modeled after the Russian example.

26/04/2024

The mother of the teenager, who suffered from police abuse in Abkhazia, began to fight the system alone.

It all started on April 17th. Sukhum resident Irina Ajba posted on her Facebook about an incident where police officers attacked her sixteen-year-old son, Georgy Gamgia, the previous night.

Criminal investigation officers in plain clothes chased him into the yard and then stormed into the house, where, despite pleas from the father, grandfather, and mother, they restrained the boy and took him to the city police department. The boy was held there until morning.

“My son was visiting his aunt. The children were playing computer games and stayed up late until the lights were turned off. Then he left my sister’s house, which is nearby, and headed home.

On the way, he noticed a black Mark X car with tinted windows following him. When the car approached him and started to stop, the child got scared and ran home.

He couldn’t open the gate with the keys, so he decided to climb over the fence. At that moment, two unknown men in civilian clothes grabbed him by the hair. He didn’t manage to climb over and ran into the house screaming. These two started shouting after him.

The father of the child came out and opened the gate. Without explaining anything, they rushed into the yard, went upstairs, and grabbed the child. The child, out of fear, began to scream and cry, telling them that he was scared and in pain.

In response, one of them grabbed him by the throat and forcibly took him out of the house. They hit him on the head, on the face, shoved him into the car, and broke his phone. The father tried to stop them, but he was also hit,” described the events of that night the mother of the teenager, Irina Ajba.

She says that the boy has developmental peculiarities, and this incident exacerbated his condition.

“Due to the incident, the child developed a nervous tic, the left side of his face and eye twitch. I had to take him to Sochi to see a neurologist,” Irina Ajba told journalists.

25/04/2024

The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, has called on political leaders in Georgia to withdraw the “foreign agents” draft law and “not to divert the country from its European path”.

“Over the past weeks, thousands of citizens of Georgia have taken to the streets to exercise their right to peaceful demonstration, demanding once again that authorities withdraw the law on transparency of foreign influence.

We have seen impressive scenes from Georgia last year already. Citizens of all ages holding Georgian and European flags showing their strong attachment to democracy, to our shared European values and to Georgia’s path towards the European Union. At the time, the ruling party and the government made a public pledge to the Georgian citizens that such legislation would never come back.

I urge the political leaders of Georgia to withdraw the draft law. As it was the case last year, it is clear that this legislation is incompatible with the EU norms and values. If adopted, it would jeopardise Georgia’s progress on the EU path.

Georgians have a future in the European Union. The candidate status that was granted last December has brought our relations closer than ever before. Our door is open, so I urge the Georgian leaders to mirror the expectations of the citizens and not derail the country from the EU path,” Borrell said.

24/04/2024

During the plenary session on April 22, the European Parliament discussed the “foreign agents” bill and the violent dispersal of a peaceful demonstration in the capital of Georgia. Various groups of European parliamentarians prepared draft resolutions demanding sanctions be imposed against Bidzina Ivanishvili, the oligarch and founder of the ruling party “Georgian Dream,” Georgian deputies who voted for the bill, and high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

During the same session, some members of the European Parliament demanded the release of former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili from prison.

The vote on the resolutions will take place on April 25th.

24/04/2024

Vasily Piskarev, the head of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption in the Russian Federation, called on Russian citizens in Georgia to refrain from participating in protests against the “foreign agents” law.

“Russian expatriates are currently flaunting their massive participation in street protests in Georgia against the foreign agents law. I advise Russian citizens to abstain from participating in such actions. There is no need to abuse the hospitality of the Georgian people and become a tool in the hands of external forces seeking to destabilize the situation in sovereign Georgia,” Piskarev wrote on his Telegram channel.

Demonstrations against the “foreign agents” bill have been ongoing in Georgia for a week now, with many activists from Russia participating alongside Georgian citizens.

21/04/2024

Monash Virman came from India. He is one of those who preferred to pursue medical education specifically in Armenia. He is studying in the fourth year of the medical faculty at the State Medical University.

“I decided to study here because life here is cheaper than in many other countries. Moreover, the education here is of high quality and much cheaper than in India. I pay five thousand dollars per year for tuition in Armenia. If I were studying in India, I would have to pay five times more – 25 thousand. It’s not affordable for me,” explains Virman.

He is also pleased with the opportunity to gain practical experience during studies, which he believes he wouldn’t have in an Indian university.

Education in medical universities in Armenia is cheaper compared to many countries worldwide, confirms education expert Serob Khachatryan:

“Moreover, we maintain good traditions in terms of quality. Medical scientific thought in Armenia was at the highest level even during Soviet times. And now medicine is the most competitive specialty in the field of education. We need to try to take advantage of this competitive edge.”

17/04/2024

The “Foreign Influence Law” was passed by the parliament in the first reading during the plenary session with 83 votes in favor and 0 against. Some opposition members voluntarily left the session and did not vote, while others were expelled.

15/04/2024

On April 15, the Georgian Parliament begins discussing the “foreign agents” law. Stringent restrictions are in place: most journalists are barred from entering, with only television channels allowed inside.

Even accredited journalists with parliamentary passes, including JAMnews correspondents, were denied entry.

The reason cited is to ensure safety and a conducive working environment, under the pretext of implementing security measures. No further justifications for these strict press limitations have been provided.

It’s announced that a “yellow security level” will be enforced in the Parliament starting April 15.

Concurrently, protest actions are planned outside the parliament building, starting at 10:00 in the morning and culminating in a large-scale rally at 19:00 in the evening.

The government asserts that this time the parliament will definitively pass the “agents” law.

12/12/2023

According to a new study by the National Democratic Institute (NDI), every tenth citizen of Georgia does not have enough money for food, and every fourth spends money only on food. In addition, every fourth resident of settlements where national minorities live does not have enough money to buy food. The organization notes that compared to others, residents of Tbilisi can afford food, clothes and more expensive things.

According to the survey, rising prices and inflation is the most important national problem for 37 percent of respondents, which worries them and their families. Jobs are the most important for 35 percent, and poverty is the most important for 28 percent.

09/12/2023

On December 9, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili will participate in the “Your Voice for Europe” march organized by NGos, with Georgia expecting an EU candidate status decision on December 14-15.

“We need to proclaim loudly the European future of Georgia so that it becomes the shared voice of the entire country. I’m aware of various initiatives happening in many places these days. Collectively, we send a unified message to Europe. Long live our European future!” Salome Zurabishvili declared.

16/11/2023

Next year, the Tbilisi Development Fund will start reconstruction of the central street of the capital of Georgia – Rustaveli Avenue. This was announced by the Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze at a meeting of the capital’s government. The reconstruction process will last more than two years and is planned to be completed by the end of 2026.

According to Kaladze, the first thing that to be done is to put the existing buildings in order, as “a very difficult situation has developed”.

It should be noted that 2024 is the year of important parliamentary elections in Georgia. Part of the population believes that the work on the reconstruction of Rustaveli Avenue is to prevent mass rallies and demonstrations.

This is what people write on social networks:

“The authorities are waiting for rallies and can’t think of anything better [than blocking Rustaveli Avenue].”

“Well calculated! They made fountains and lawn in front of the parliament to reduce the space for people coming out for demonstrations and to prevent them! And also in the year of parliamentary elections they start to reconstruct Rustaveli! Clearly! Rustaveli and the surrounding streets will be blocked off and there will simply be no platform for protest!!!”

“They say two years, but doesn’t that mean five years?”

“I don’t understand the unnecessarily protracted renovations in the Avlabari neighborhood, for example. For how many years it has been in a terrible state, even today it is in ruins, but you don’t see anyone working. Why are there no penalties in the contracts? Under these conditions, repairing Rustaveli is even politically dangerous.”

“It’s all over! There will be a solid traffic jam here, too. And the neighboring streets will be jammed. Residents won’t even be able to open their windows, they won’t be able to let their children out to play in the street… Haven’t you realized yet that this man doesn’t love Tbilisi?”

26/10/2023

The main questions of the Wall Street Journal correspondent in his interview with the Armenian Prime Minister concerned the probability of a full-scale war, the possibility of establishing peace in the region, and unblocking roads. Nikol Pashinyan once again reiterated his position to start an era of peace in the region. And this time he talked about a concrete plan, with open borders between the countries of the region, political dialogue, and the establishment of economic and cultural ties. The idea is to form ties “where the safety of the other somehow becomes important for you, and your safety also becomes important for the other, because otherwise there may be economic risks and political risks.”

He also stated: “Look, there’s no mention of weapons here, but this is an important security component.” The Armenian Prime Minister said that it is wrong to mean only army and weapons by the word security. He gave an example to justify this idea: there are countries that have no problems with weapons but have a security problem, and there are countries that have problems with weapons but have no security problems.

Pashinyan suggests making the region as manageable and predictable as possible in terms of security:

“The approach that we have to find allies somewhere, bring weapons and shoot at our neighbors, that is not our approach. Of course, we have fears that our neighbors will shoot at us. Those fears also need to be managed. But on the other hand, I think that any modern country should and has the right to have a modern army, it has the right to develop its armed forces, it has the right to meet its security needs with this component as well. But the meaning of my answer is that our understanding is not that it is necessary to provide security only with the army.”

06/10/2023

👋 Hey Everyone,

Big news! 📣 We're moving our party to X (Twitter)! 🐦

We've had an incredible journey here on Facebook, and we want to thank each and every one of you for being a part of it. Your support has meant the world to us! 🌍💙

🚀 Now, we're excited to take our engagement to the next level on X. It's where the action happens, and we can't wait to have you with us!

So join us at , stay connected and informed, and let's keep the conversation going stronger than ever. 💪

Daily news | Top analysis | Stories from

05/10/2023

"Iran is prepared to dispatch observers to the Armenian-Azerbaijani border," stated Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian armed forces, during a meeting with Armen Grigoryan, the head of the Armenian security council, in Tehran

Iran's position on the "Zangezur Corridor" from Azerbaijan's military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and mass deportation of Armenians

05/10/2023

The Georgian parliament approved the law that prohibits the installation of tents during protests, 76 deputies voted in favor, 20 against. The law has already been called another "Russian law" by the public, a rally was announced outside the parliament today, and everyone was urged to come with tents - the law will come into force only after the president signs it

Georgian society has already called this bill another "Russian law" - Bill on banning tents

05/10/2023

A permanent Russian Navy station will be established in Ochamchira, Abkhazia. 'The agreement was reached well before Abkhazian president's yesterday meeting with Putin. It's a security guarantee from ally and strategic partner,' Abkhazia authorities say

It became known from today's interview with Aslan Bzhania that a Russian naval base will be established in Abkhazia.

05/10/2023

Azerbaijan arrests former leaders of unrecognized NKR, including ex-presidents and parliament chairman, on charges of terrorism and grave crimes against peace and humanity

Arrests of "NKR" leaders. Araik Harutyunyan, Arkady Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, and David Ishkhanyan were detained and arrested the day before

05/10/2023

The Abkhazian leader announced the republic’s intention to participate in integration processes initiated by Russia.

However, there are no specifics about the parameters of this “integration” in the video published by the Kremlin press service. Nor is there any reaction of President Putin to Bzhania’s words.

The meeting between Putin and Bzhania took place in Sochi late in the evening of October 4. The same day before that the President of Abkhazia held talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov there.

Ahead of the talks Russian media predicted that after the meeting it could be announced about the beginning of the procedure of Abkhazia’s accession to the Union State of Russia and the Republic of Belarus.

But the bilateral format of the meeting initially made such predictions groundless. To start the procedure of Abkhazia’s accession to the Union State one visa from the Kremlin is not enough. We need consent from Alexander Lukashenko. But the Republic of Belarus is in no hurry to recognize the independence of Abkhazia.

Abkhaz leader says republic intends to participate in integration processes initiated by Russia - Bzhania's meeting with Putin

05/10/2023

A recording of the detention of the former president of the unrecognized NKR Araik Harutyunyan by Azerbaijani special services has been published. Details are not yet available

05/10/2023

U.S. State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel reacted to the statement of the Georgian State Security Service against USAID (United States Agency for International Development) at the daily briefing and said that the accusations are false and fundamentally mischaracterize the goals of the assistance.

U.S. State Department on charges against USAID

05/10/2023

What is discussed in Armenia today, October 5 - main topics in local media:

📌 Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that the meeting with Ilham Aliyev in Granada will not take place, but the Armenian delegation will still travel to Spain.

📌 Yerevan will negotiate with Paris on the purchase of air defense equipment, said Armen Khachatryan, a deputy of Armenia's ruling Civil Pact party. Read more here 👉 https://shorturl.at/swHNT

📌 Presence of NATO forces in the South Caucasus is unacceptable for Iran - Mohammad Jamshidi, deputy head of Iranian Presidential Administration for Political Affairs.

📌 Nikol Pashinyan responded to questions from the opposition about the necessity of his resignation: "I will resign if I am sure that with my resignation all the security problems of the country will be solved. But expert analysis shows that the situation will be much worse in case of resignation."

📌 Former Armenian Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan announced the creation of a political movement to "liberate the country from internal and external enemies."

📌 More than 6.1 thousand students from Nagorno-Karabakh are registered in Armenian educational institutions, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan said.

05/10/2023

Here are the main topics being discussed in Azerbaijan today, October 5, in local media:

📌 Ilham Aliyev canceled his trip to Granada, where a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was scheduled. Baku cited the organizers' refusal to include Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the meeting, mediated by European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

📌 Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov commented on Aliyev's decision to cancel the meeting, stating that Azerbaijan didn't accept EU mediation but welcomed its peacekeeping services. France's attempt to mediate without diplomatic respect was unacceptable to Azerbaijan.

📌 Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani president's representative for special assignments, mentioned the Zangezur corridor through Armenia, emphasizing that Azerbaijan recognizes this section as Armenia's sovereign territory and doesn't claim it. However, Armenia is expected to ensure traffic safety, a responsibility originally assigned to Russian border guards according to the trilateral statement in October 2020.

📌 Detained former president of the unrecognized NKR, Araik Harutyunyan, was questioned in Baku. His lawyer, Alov Safaraliyev, noted that Harutyunyan's testimony could provide answers to various questions.

📌 According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Armenian armed formations in Karabakh have surrendered 84 armored vehicles, 104 field artillery pieces, and around 7,000 small arms and anti-tank weapons as of October 4.

📌 Azerbaijan's migration service reported that 15 Armenian residents of Karabakh have applied for participation in the reintegration process. The total number of Armenian community members becoming Azerbaijani citizens has reached 98 people.

📌 Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the duration of Russian peacekeepers' stay in Karabakh will be determined jointly with Baku based on the regional situation.

05/10/2023

Here are the main topics being discussed in Georgia today, October 5, in local media:

📌 Ombudsman Levan Iosseliani criticizes a draft law on assemblies and demonstrations, which prohibits the use of tents and structures during protests, as a serious violation of citizens' rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Read more here 👉 https://shorturl.at/czFNT

📌 Activist Samira Bayramova shares her decision to change her place of residence due to threats and recent incidents, including the defacement of her home with a cross and a Russian flag. Read more here 👉 https://shorturl.at/swTX5

📌 Remittances to Georgia saw a 14.1% decrease in August compared to the same period last year, with a total of $287 million received, according to the National Bank of Georgia.

📌 Georgia and Moldova top the list of countries whose citizens seek asylum in Germany but face high rejection rates. German government spokesperson Joachim Stamp states that they account for over 10% of all rejected asylum applications. In 2023, nearly 8,000 asylum requests were made by Georgians, with a 99.9% rejection rate.

📌 Heavy rains and flooding caused a bridge over the Bzhuzhi River in Ozurgeti district, western Georgia, to collapse, partially isolating several villages.

📌 The appointment of Koba Khubunai as deputy culture minister has sparked outrage among cultural workers, as he previously faced protests in August when appointed acting director of the National Film Center, replacing fired professional staff. Khubunai had previously served as deputy head of the National Crime Prevention Agency.

📷 Photo: Tents set up in front of parliament during protests in Tbilisi. (Credit: Vaho Kareli/Formula TV channel)

04/10/2023

Samira Bayramova, a human rights activist from Georgia's Kvemo Kartli region, says she fears for her safety after an unsettling incident in which unknown individuals marked her door with a cross and painted a Russian flag on her wall.

"I don't feel safe even in my own home" - Samira Bayramova - Marneuli activist Samira Bayramova

04/10/2023

“The recent change of rules on how the bank will comply with international sanctions raises concerns about financial stability, which is the main goal of the program implemented by the IMF in Georgia", the Fund's spokesperson said.

The National Bank of Georgia amended the rules amid a recent high-profile scandal involving former Georgian Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze who was subjected to international sanctions for his alleged ties with the Russian FSB. At first, the National Bank blocked all his accounts, but then unblocked them, saying that sanctions can only be applied to Georgian citizens if a local court has fund them guilty.

IMF on sanctions and the National Bank of Georgia

04/10/2023

Is the Karabakh conflict over? What will happen next? - Baku residents share their reflections on these press questions in our latest video poll 👇

See what people in Yerevan streets have to say on this at: https://shorturl.at/vzBHR