May 11, 2024 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

Ulu Öndərin ildönümünə həsr olunan minifutbol turniri başa çatıb – VİDEO

Müdafiə nazirinin birinci müavini – Azərbaycan Ordusunun Baş Qərargah rəisinin müvafiq əmrinə əsasən Müdafiə Nazirliyinin baş idarə və idarələri arasında xalqımızın Ümummilli Lideri Heydər Əliyevin anadan olmasının 101-ci ildönümü münasibətilə təşkil olunan minifutbol turnirinin bağlanış mərasimi keçirilib.
Mayın 10-da keçirilən final oyununda qaliblər müəyyən edilib.
Qaliblərin mükafatlandırılması mərasimində əvvəlcə xalqımızın Ümummilli Lideri Heydər Əliyevin və respublikamızın suverenliyi, ərazi bütövlüyü uğrunda şəhidlik zirvəsinə ucalan Vətən övladlarının xatirəsi bir dəqiqəlik sükutla yad edilib. Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət Himni ifa olunub.
Müdafiə nazirinin birinci müavini – Azərbaycan Ordusunun Baş Qərargah rəisi general-polkovnik Kərim Vəliyev çıxış edərək Ulu Öndərin həyatından, ordu quruculuğuna verdiyi töhfələrdən danışıb. Belə tədbirlərin Azərbaycan Ordusunun şəxsi heyətinin mənəvi-psixoloji və fiziki hazırlıqlarının yüksəldilməsində mühüm əhəmiyyət kəsb etdiyini vurğulayıb.
Bağlanış mərasimində Müdafiə Nazirliyinin rəhbərliyi turnir iştirakçılarını təbrik edib.
Sonra Baş Qərargah rəisi Ulu Öndər Heydər Əliyevin anadan olmasının 101-ci ildönümü münasibətilə təşkil olunan minifutbol turnirinin kubokunu qalib komandaya təqdim edib.
Sonda Həzi Aslanov adına Ordu İdeoloji və Mədəniyyət Mərkəzinin yaradıcı kollektivi tərəfindən konsert proqramı təqdim olunub.

Ulu Öndərin ildönümünə həsr olunan minifutbol turniri başa çatıb – VİDEO

US Congress members against foreign agents bill

On May 10th, 29 US congress members sent an open letter to Georgia‘s prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, demanding the withdrawal of the so-called ‘Russian foreign agents bill‘ from parliament. This bill has sparked widespread protests in the country and harsh repression against its participants.

The congress members warn that otherwise they will join the Senate’s initiative for sanctions against Georgia.

The statement expresses deep concern over the methods used by authorities against opponents of the bill, as well as statements made by oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, honorary chairman of the ruling party ‘Georgian Dream’, who is considered the shadow ruler of Georgia.

A bipartisan group of 14 US senators published a letter to the Georgian government on April 26th, 2024, promising to impose sanctions, visa restrictions, and review financial support to Bidzina Ivanishvili’s regime if the ‘foreign agents bill’ is enacted.

Key points from the congress members’ letter:

We are writing to express our concern regarding the ‘foreign agents’ bill, which your government has reintroduced for consideration after a year.
This bill fundamentally contradicts your government’s stated desire to join the Transatlantic community, the spirit of the Charter on Strategic Partnership signed by the US and Georgia in 2009, just a few months after Russian troops invaded Georgia.
We strongly urge your government to withdraw this destructive bill once again and to promote democracy, economic freedom, security, and territorial integrity in Georgia, strengthen the rule of law, and respect human rights as enshrined in the Charter.
The clear purpose of the ‘foreign agents’ bill is to tighten control over those partners who have worked for decades for the prospects of the Georgian people and supported the country’s transatlantic integration. Enacting this bill goes against the will of the Georgian people, who see their future alongside the West.
We reject the idea that this bill was drafted in accordance with US legislation. Instead, we draw attention to the similarity between the proposed bill and the law passed by Vladimir Putin in Russia in 2012. There, too, it was justified under the argument of ‘transparency’. As you know, this law has since been used by Putin and his thugs to suppress the opposition, leading Russia back to the authoritarianism of the Soviet era.

We believe that the people of Georgia deserve and desire a better, more democratic future. Enacting this bill will further extend Russia’s harmful influence in Georgia.
The rhetoric surrounding the bill also raises deep concern.
On April 29th, Bidzina Ivanishvili, former prime minister and current honorary chairman of the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ party, stated in his speech [at a rally] that he will ‘punish’ the opposition for alleged crimes committed during their time in power and in opposition.
Ivanishvili also claimed that the United States and European partners have tried to undermine Georgia’s sovereignty. However, it is we who have steadfastly supported your country’s sovereignty since the declaration of your independence, including the past 16 years since Russia directly invaded and occupied your territories.
We condemn these offensive and cruel statements by Mr. Ivanishvili.
Our concern has significantly escalated due to the government’s response to peaceful protests against the bill.
We are aware that dozens of protesters, including US citizens, have been abducted on the streets and beaten by police. Last week, the leader of the opposition party and a member of parliament were beaten.
It is interesting to note that the Russian propagandist Dugin, preaching fascist ideology, claims that ‘Georgia is on the right path.’ This bill was also supported by Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
Your actions have been met with condemnation from the closest partners of your country and praise from the country occupying 20% of your territory. This should be a clear indicator that you are leading Georgia down the wrong path.
The situation in Georgia is clear. The government can choose whether to listen to the voice of the people or continue down the dark path towards Russian-style authoritarianism.
We state clearly: choosing the latter path will lead to a fundamental reassessment of the relationship between our countries. Just as Congress recognized authoritarian rule in Belarus and passed the bipartisan Belarus Democracy Act in 2004, we are now ready to give a responce to attacks on the Euro-Atlantic future that Georgia deserves.
We urge you to withdraw the bill and cease other actions that infringe upon the rights and freedoms of the people of Georgia. After this, we will be ready to engage in direct negotiations to restore and invigorate our strategic partnership.
If this harmful bill is not withdrawn, we will join our colleagues in the Senate and propose a fundamental review of US policy towards Georgia. This will include a review of US financial assistance, visa regime, and financial sanctions against those responsible for undermining Georgia’s democratic development.

Threats, insults, beatings. Why has the ruling party of Georgia declared war on activists? Expert commentary

“Now we are witnessing a complete turn towards authoritarianism”

US Congress members against foreign agents bill

Commentary

Ana Natsvlishvili, one of the leaders of the “Lelo” party, wrote on her Facebook page:

“They directly state that the authorities are lying by calling this bill modeled after American standards. They directly state that this is a Russian law and it has the same goal as Putin’s Russian law.

The letter states that just as the Belarus Democracy Act was enacted in response to Lukashenko’s authoritarianism, they will also take steps in response to actions aimed against Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future.

It should be noted that the Belarus Democracy Act included sanctions against senior officials, cessation of state funding (except for humanitarian missions), and other measures that had a very strong impact on all areas.“

The “foreign agents” bill may undergo its third and final reading in parliament on May 13th. Its supporters, apparently, have enough votes for adoption and may possibly overcome the veto promised by President Salome Zourabichvili.

In a joint letter published on May 10th, 18 media and human rights organizations, including the International Press Institute, stated that this bill, which was recently passed in the second reading in parliament, “provides the authorities with a powerful tool for discrediting, pressuring, and ultimately silencing independent voices, thereby endangering freedom of the press and freedom of expression.”

The contentious bill stipulates that media outlets, non-governmental organizations, and other non-profit organizations must register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign state” if more than 20 percent of their funding comes from abroad.

EU officials have stated that the bill could be a serious obstacle to Georgia’s path to joining the European Union.

The previous version of the bill was introduced by allies of the “Georgian Dream” in 2023 but was withdrawn after widespread public protest.

Critics say it is modeled after a decade-old “foreign agents” law that Russian president Vladimir Putin used to suppress dissent and punish independent institutions.

The Kobakhidze government insists that the law complies with EU standards and is intended only to increase “transparency” and prevent “harmful foreign influence” in the country’s political arena.