Day: December 21, 2023
This neighborhood of Tbilisi is popularly called Nakhalovka. One local landmark is a sausage factory, built in 1964 in Khrushchev’s time. Despite the passage of time and many changes, the sausage shop in Nahalovka continues to enjoy popularity and is considered almost legendary.
Sausages, mustard, beer, bread and lemonade – the menu has remained unchanged for 53 years. Nodar Vardiashvili is always behind the counter. He has been working here practically all his life, since 1970 when he arrived in Tbilisi as a 22-year-old.
Compensation of tuition fees
The Armenian government has decided to compensate tuition fees for another 935 students from Nagorno-Karabakh who studied in Armenia before the war of September 2023. After the end of hostilities, almost the entire Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh moved to Armenia, and those students who studied in the universities of Nagorno-Karabakh began to study in Armenian universities.
As for their tuition fees, the decision to compensate them was made a few weeks ago. For this purpose, the government allocated an additional 842 million drams ($2,105,000).
More than 1,800 students from Nagorno-Karabakh pursue their studies in Armenian universities. The Armenian government will partially or fully compensate the tuition fees of all Karabakh students.
“In this case, there is no task to restore the right to education”
The Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan specified that the new decision concerns those students who were already students of Armenian universities before the September events. In their case, the government is not tasked with restoring their rights. They only need financial support:
“There are two groups of students. Funding for the education of one group came from their families, who are now deprived of the opportunity to provide this support for known reasons. The tuition of the other was paid for by the NK authorities. Now this source of financing can’t be used either.”
According to the Minister, it is about 935 students.
The government will allocate 264 million drams ($660,000) to compensate the first semester fees of this group of students.
More than 4,000 students from universities and colleges received compensation
The data of students of NK middle professional education and higher education institutions who moved after September 19, 2023 and were transferred to Armenian state educational institutions have already been processed.
In total, there are about 1836 university students (1728 are studying at the bachelor’s level, 108 at the master’s level). About 440 million drams ($1,100,000) have been allocated to compensate their tuition fees for the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year.
2524 displaced people from Nagorno Karabakh continue their education in specialized secondary and vocational educational institutions. About 402 million drams ($1,005,000) have been allocated for this group.
“If additional data appears, students who are still not included in the educational process will apply to us, an additional decision will be made regarding their inclusion in the program,” assured Education Minister Zhanna Andreasyan.
Follow us – Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Compensation of tuition fees
Opening up transport in the South Caucasus
The opening of roads in the South Caucasus remains an open question, despite numerous statements by all parties. In the second half of 2023, Azerbaijan announced that it was no longer interested in the road that was supposed to connect the western part of the country with Nakhichevan through the territory of Armenia, and the corridor would go through Iran.
- Who will take part in the extraordinary presidential election in Azerbaijan?
- Armenia has not extradited a Russian conscript who fled because of the war in Ukraine
- Georgian Health Ministry: Some drugs sold in pharmacies at 32 times the price
Azerbaijani analysts considered the options of opening regional communications in their material published in the “Look East” public forum.
Blue and green lines
“The issue of corridors in our region has now become a very interesting, and at the same time dangerous, subject of debate.
As is known, two options are currently relevant within the framework of opening regional transport:
- A transport corridor connecting the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic with the “mainland” part of Azerbaijan, and creating a new land link between Azerbaijan and Turkey, through the territory of Armenia (blue line on the map).
- A new transportation corridor in place of the already traditional route between the western part of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan through the territory of Iran (green line on the map).
Different perspectives of countries in the region and global forces
“Countries in the region and global powers have different views on this important issue.
The problem of relations between Armenia and Russia is most unique. Russia insists on opening the blue line based on the requirements of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 under the control of Russian military personnel. Armenia, on the other hand, wants to open the same line based on the principles of sovereignty and under its control.
The view of Iran and Turkey on the issue is also interesting. The two regional centers of power do not trust each other and are trying not to lose in the battle for the corridor. Iran, naturally, is in favor of opening the green line, and is strongly opposed to the implementation of the blue line. It is clear that the blue line is in fact an alternative to the green line, and if it is opened, the “Iranian route” will lose its meaning. But Turkey wants not to depend on Iran and get an alternative access to the Caspian Sea. On this basis, Ankara insists on the obligatory opening of the blue line regardless of whether the green line will work or not.
“The West will have to accept the new realities in the region.” Comment from Baku
The overseas forces are understandably opposed to the implementation of the Iranian route. The U.S. openly states that it does not want to implement the green line, which would leave Armenia offside and strengthen Iran’s position in the region. But at the same time Washington fears the option of opening the blue line, which could later come under Russian control.
China is interested in the opening of the blue line, as it has long used the Iranian route to transport its goods to the West, and Beijing is not against diversification of transportation routes. An alternative road to the Iranian corridor is beneficial for China.
Georgia does not want to open either the green or blue line”.
Position of Azerbaijan
“In our opinion, Azerbaijan’s position will become decisive in the game of corridors. That is why Baku acts with caution. In any case, whether under Armenian or Russian control, the blue line is more favorable to Azerbaijan, because the Iranian route has been open all along, while the blue line is a new road. But for obvious reasons Azerbaijan does not want to be a party to the Armenian-Russian dispute over the corridor. The sudden appearance of the green line on the table was an interesting tactical move on Baku’s part. Because an alternative road to the blue line creates serious pressure over Russia, Armenia and Yerevan’s Western allies, while at the same time putting Iran face to face with Armenia.
The outcome of the corridor games will determine the basic dynamics of the future geopolitical picture of the region. These games, in which no one wants to lose, promise stability and development, but at the same time, they may turn the region into a hotspot of clashes.”
#Patrushev‘s Reality and “Magic” #Trump
Dear subscribers and guests of the channel!
Yesterday, the Secretary of the Security Council of #Russia, Nikolai #Patrushev, held an online meeting with the leadership of the security and military blocs. Such meetings were traditional for… pic.twitter.com/HC8pIjPOyD— generalsvr_en (@generalsvr_en) December 21, 2023
#Patrushev‘s Reality and “Magic” #Trump
Dear subscribers and guests of the channel!
Yesterday, the Secretary of the Security Council of #Russia, Nikolai #Patrushev, held an online meeting with the leadership of the security and military blocs. Such meetings were traditional for… pic.twitter.com/HC8pIjPOyD— generalsvr_en (@generalsvr_en) December 21, 2023