Azerbaijan’s imports of fruit and vegetable products from Türkiye experienced a notable increase in 2024, compared to the previous year, Azernews reports.
Day: January 4, 2025
The new 2025 saw protests continue in Georgia after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced on 28 November that it was suspending EU accession talks until 2028. The political crisis caused by the rejection of the legitimacy of disputed results of the October 26 parliamentary elections, rejected by the opposition political forces, President Salome Zurabishvili, and a big part of the civil society who assess them as rigged, has been exacerbated by this declared U-turn on EU membership by authorities. As the tumultuous 2024 subsided (read our summary of 2024 here) and 2025 took over, what began as demonstrations against the foreign policy shift have grown into a broader resistance that has united tens of thousands of Georgian citizens, including national minorities, demanding significant changes in the country. Despite the brutal police repression, protesters across the country are persisting, calling for new elections and the release of all illegally detained during repression by the authorities. Meanwhile, the legitimacy of the Georgian Dream government and GD’s presidential pick, Mikheil Kavelashvili, remains in question.
- For developments in 2024, refer to our previous: Liveblog: Resistance 2024
Saturday, January 4
00:35 – Planned Rallies on 38th day of Protest
Here is the list of demonstrations that are planned to be conducted:
Tbilisi:
19:00 – Protest at the Public Broadcaster with the slogan: “Daytime Broadcast for the People!”
19:00-22:00 – Collecting and distributing gifts near the Christmas tree on Rustaveli Avenue.
19:00-22:00- “Market Orbeliani Supports Small Entrepreneurs!” – Vekua St. 3a.
Kutaisi:
19:00 – Protest: “Yes to Europe, No to Russia!” – In front of City Hall.
Batumi:
19:00 – Protest: “In Service of the Homeland!” – At the Constitutional Court.
Zugdidi:
16:00 – Protest: “We Oppose the Russian Regime” – In front of City Hall.
Friday, January 3
16:30 – Repression Continues: Allegations of Political Dismissals Intensify
The repressive actions of the ruling regime are drawing increasing criticism as more individuals report politically motivated dismissals. Eka Bakradze, a human resources officer at the Central Election Commission, claims she was unfairly dismissed because her family members are allegedly “affiliated with opposition forces.” Similarly, Mikheil Butskhrikidze, who was head of the Adigeni city council staff, says he was dismissed after simply expressing his opinion as a citizen.
14:00 – Solidarity with Tkibuli Miners: Protest in West Georgia
In the heart of Tkibuli, a town in western Georgia, citizens are protesting in support of miners under the banner “Solidarity with the Tkibuli Miners!”. The demonstrators are expressing outrage over the alleged firing of 38 miners by Coal of Georgia. According to the protesters, the dismissed workers were targeted for political reasons after openly expressing their opinions and freely condemning the violence and brutality reportedly perpetrated by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
13:00 – Protests Continue Across Georgia Despite the New Year Festivities
The New Year has not paused the wave of protests across Georgia, as demonstrations persist in Tbilisi and beyond. Here’s the schedule of planned events:
Tbilisi:
19:00 – “Daytime Broadcast for People!” – Protest near the Public Broadcaster’s building;
19:00-22:00 – Gift collection and distribution near the Parliament building;
19:00 – Rally near the Parliament building.
Batumi:
19:00 – “In the Service of the Homeland” – Protest near the Constitutional Court.
Tkibuli:
14:00 – “Solidarity with the Tkibuli Miners!”
Kutaisi:
19:00 – “Yes to Europe, No to Russia!” – Protest near the City Hall building.
Thursday, January 2
22:10 – Protest on Rustaveli Avenue Continues
Protest continues for the 36th day on Rustaveli avenue on Bedoba Day, with citizens gathering in central Tbilisi instead of celebrating New Year festivities with their family. The avenue is closed for traffic.
13:16 – Protesters Plan to Celebrate ‘Bedoba’ on Rustaveli Avenue
On January 2, a post in the Facebook group Daitove, a focal virtual meeting place of protesters resonated with the protesters, who decided to celebrate Bedoba [a Georgian tradition symbolizing the granting of good fortune for the coming year, according to which the course of the January 2 predicts the course of the year] on Rustaveli Avenue, near the Parliament building. “This year we have witnessed what they attempted to make us forget: Georgia has free, dignified, proud and patriotic citizens who neither tire nor give up,” the group’s post said.
Wednesday, January 1
23:35 – Zurabishvili Critiques Misjudgments of Georgian Strength in Online Statement
In a Facebook post, addressing continued protests, President Salome Zurabishvili reacted to those who hoped the protests’ momentum would subside after the New Year’s and noted their miscalculation of international and domestic reactions the GD policy. She described these misjudgments as ignorance and emphasized that failing to grasp the character, endurance and determination “of your own people” is inexcusable, stating: “They are still standing today, they will be there tomorrow, they will not get tired!”
21:28 – Protests Continue Despite New Year Celebrations
On the 35th consecutive day of protests and not destructed by New Year festivities, demonstrators have once again gathered in front of the Georgian Parliament. Their demands remain unchanged: the release of all those detained during the protests and the calling of new elections. Protesters stressed that despite the holidays and New Year celebrations in the country, they will continue to express their resistance, emphasizing that Georgia’s European future must be protected. Protesters view the current political situation as a constitutional crisis. Rustaveli Avenue remained blocked at night.
Azerbaijan is set to produce SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) boards locally for the first time, as the construction of the “Mister Decor” Limited Liability Company’s (LLC) decorative flooring production facility in the Agdam Industrial Park nears completion, Azernews reports citing Azerbaijan State News Agency.