Day: April 2, 2026

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Armenian government to decide fate of $500,000 Zayed Prize awarded to Pashinyan


Pashinyan’s $500 000 prize to go to state budget

Pashinyan’s $500 000 prize to go to state budget

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has submitted a document to the Corruption Prevention Commission to register the $500,000 prize he received.

He received the money as part of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. The organisers honoured Pashinyan “in recognition of his consistent efforts to promote peace”. He shared the award with the president of Azerbaijan. The total prize fund amounted to $1 million.

Under Armenian law, officials must transfer gifts worth more than 60,000 drams ($160) to the state. This rule covers gifts and souvenirs received

  • during official visits, events, working trips or business travel,
  • from foreign states, international organisations or other entities.

Here is what is known so far about the fate of the prize money received by Pashinyan.

Prize classified as a “gift”

The Corruption Prevention Commission has classified the cash prize as a gift received by Pashinyan in the course of his official duties.

After registration, the authorities will transfer the gift to the State Property Management Committee. A local TV channel asked what would happen to the funds.

“At present, the issue is under procedures carried out by the committee in line with the rules approved by Armenian government decree No. 956 of 20 June 2024,” the body said.

The decree states that the committee “manages gifts that have become state property”.

Later, reports said the Armenian government plans to open an extra-budgetary deposit account at the finance ministry’s treasury to manage the prize funds. The authorities intend to transfer the money to this account. They will then allocate it to cover expenditures approved by the government. Officials say this “mechanism will ensure transparency in the management of the funds.”

‘I have not yet decided how to spend the money’ — Pashinyan

During a briefing in early March, journalists asked Armenia’s prime minister whether the funds had already been transferred and whether he had decided how to spend them.

“Yes, the money has already been transferred. But I have not yet decided how to spend it. I do not rule out revising my earlier decision and plans. If that happens, I will inform you,” the prime minister said.

However, Pashinyan did not specify what decision he was referring to.

He had addressed the issue earlier in February, before the funds were transferred.

“I am considering which public purposes or needs these funds should support. Once we make a concrete decision, we will announce it,” Nikol Pashinyan said at the time.

Context

On 4 February in Abu Dhabi, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan presented the award.

In his speech, the Armenian prime minister stressed that although the award recognises the leaders of the two countries, it represents an achievement of both the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples.

“This ceremony is not only about celebrating a peace agreement, but also about Armenia and Azerbaijan confirming that the chapter of conflict is closed. Otherwise, it would make no sense for the president of Azerbaijan or for me to come here and receive this award,” Pashinyan said.

He also said the Zayed Prize symbolises support for peace from both the Muslim and Christian worlds. According to him, it will help strengthen peace in the region.

Pashinyan’s $500 000 prize to go to state budget

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Pig semen could revolutionize treatment of Alzheimer’s and eye cancer


A new therapy using pig semen-derived exosomes, engineered into eye drops capable of penetrating deep into retinal tissue, may offer a breakthrough in treating diseases that are difficult to reach, including Alzheimer’s, researchers say, AzerNEWS reports.

The post Pig semen could revolutionize treatment of Alzheimer’s and eye cancer first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.


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‘Patriots for Europe in Congress’ group formed in Strasbourg, joined by Georgia’s ruling party


Patriots for Europe in Congress group

At the 50th plenary session of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, a new political group — “Patriots for Europe in Congress” — was formed. It brings together representatives from six countries: Georgia (the ruling Georgian Dream party), Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain.

The group is led by Anna Magyar, a representative of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Vice-presidents include Nino Vardosanidze, a member of the Georgian delegation, and Czech politician Richard Vereš. In total, the group consists of 29 delegates representing various national and local political structures.

‘Sovereignty’ as the central theme

In statements by the new group, the idea of sovereignty takes centre stage. Its representatives say the aim is to strengthen cooperation among “patriotic” and “sovereigntist” politicians, particularly on issues of national security.

The group sees itself as a platform within the Congress to voice alternative political views, including on migration, security and the role of the state in international affairs. These positions largely echo a discourse that has gained momentum in recent years among European right-wing and far-right parties.

“We prefer national sovereignty to federalism, freedom to directives, and peace to war,” the group says in its “Patriotic Manifesto”, which also expresses a commitment to protecting borders and stopping illegal migration.

A ‘younger brother‘

The “Patriots for Europe in Congress” group is directly linked to an existing political alliance in the European Parliament — “Patriots for Europe”. According to the group itself, the new formation is a “younger brother” of that alliance and follows the same values.

The European Parliament alliance was formed in 2024 with the participation of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, Austria’s Freedom Party and the Czech ANO party. It was later joined by other right-wing and nationalist forces, including France’s National Rally and Italy’s League.

The key slogans of this “political family” include prioritising national sovereignty, scepticism towards further EU federalisation, and a hardline stance on migration. At the same time, the group is seen as holding a favourable attitude towards Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.

Вот перевод финальной части текста на русский язык:

Georgian Dream in search of partners

The participation of Georgian Dream in the new group comes as the party has spent several years outside any European “political family”. In 2023, it left the Party of European Socialists, after which it remained without an affiliated political platform.

Joining the new grouping may be seen as an attempt to find new ideological and institutional partners in Europe. At the same time, the move points to a possible shift in the party’s positioning towards a political spectrum where themes of sovereignty, national interests and a critical stance towards the European Union dominate.

A controversial alliance

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party was suspended in 2019 from the European People’s Party (EPP), the EU’s main centre-right grouping, and left it entirely in 2021, after which it too remained without a clear political home.

In 2024, together with Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Czech ANO movement led by Andrej Babiš, it formed the “Patriots for Europe” alliance.

However, the composition of Patriots for Europe is not uniform. Its members often hold differing positions on foreign policy and EU enlargement. The alliance includes politicians known both for pro-Russian statements and for sharp criticism of EU institutions.

The creation of the new group in Strasbourg therefore reflects not only an institutional development, but also a broader trend in European politics — the consolidation of sovereigntist and nationalist forces.

Patriots for Europe in Congress group

The post ‘Patriots for Europe in Congress’ group formed in Strasbourg, joined by Georgia’s ruling party first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.


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Ilham Aliyev received participants of meeting of heads of government of OTS member states



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CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity


The Expert Council on NGO Law, an expert body of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, issued a critical opinion on a legislative package adopted on March 4 by Georgia’s disputed parliament that further restricted grants and political activity, saying the measures are incompatible with Georgia’s obligations as a CoE member, “entirely inappropriate,” and should be repealed.

The opinion examined amendments to the Law on Grants, the Law on Political Associations, the Criminal Code, and the Administrative Offences Code. With the changes, the disputed Parliament introduced additional curbs on foreign funding, criminalized “external lobbying,” restricted political activities, imposed limitations on businesses, and penalized “systematic acts” aimed at “establishing the perception” of the government’s illegitimacy.

According to the paper, the restrictions affected by the adoption of the laws will have “a very serious impact” on fundamental rights, including freedom of association and expression.

The document noted that “many of the provisions in the Laws do not fulfil the prescribed by law requirement for imposing any restrictions on rights guaranteed by the ECHR,” further stressing “serious grounds for doubting whether most of them have a legitimate aim.” The Expert Council further said most provisions cannot be considered “necessary in a democratic society,” given the scope of restrictions and penalties.

“In the circumstances, the adoption of the Laws will further exacerbate the grave and unjustified damage that has already been caused to civil society in Georgia,” the paper warned, adding, “Their adoption is inconsistent with a wide range of commitments that this member State of the Council of Europe has undertaken and is thus entirely inappropriate.”

“It would, therefore, be appropriate [to] repeal the amendments that have been effected by the adoption of the Laws, as well as to desist from any steps to enforce the implementation of the provisions previously addressed in the 2024 and 2025 Opinions,” the paper concluded.

Particular concern in the paper is raised over amendments to the Law on Grants, which it described as “problematic in several respects.”

The requirement that a legal entity of another state must obtain the consent from the Georgian government before disbursing a grant is described as “an attempt to interfere with the right of such an entity to seek funding for its activities without any substantiation of harm to Georgia,” as well as “an unjustified legislative overreach, effectively entailing an interference with the sovereignty of the State where such an entity is established.”

The opinion added that the breadth of this requirement could affect not only political disagreement with Georgian policies, but also “academic research on Georgia, which has no concern with current political issues.”

It also criticized the expansion of the definition of grants to include any form of technical assistance, warning that this could effectively prohibit exchanges of ideas related to Georgian policies without prior government approval, thereby constraining “legitimate social exchanges that are the lifeblood of democracy.”

The opinion further highlighted the severity of penalties introduced under the amendments, including imprisonment of up to six years. It noted that such sanctions “could be much greater than the fines” previously deemed “excessive” by the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation.

“Even if aspects of the amendments could be said to have a legitimate aim, there is no actual substantiation of the threat which the activities are alleged to pose and no consideration of whether there might be less draconian means of addressing it,” the document said, noting that the Venice Commission has similarly assessed such measures as “excessive and risk producing a serious chilling effect on civil freedoms.”

Also Read:

The post CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.

The post CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity first appeared on The World Web Times – worldwebtimes.com.


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China calls for independent refiners to maintain fuel output amid war disruption, sources say http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq


The post China calls for independent refiners to maintain fuel output amid war disruption, sources say http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq first appeared on The World Web Times – worldwebtimes.com.

The post China calls for independent refiners to maintain fuel output amid war disruption, sources say http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq http://reut.rs/4bRUYzq first appeared on The World Web Times – worldwebtimes.com.


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Ilham Aliyev received participants of meeting of heads of government of OTS member states


On April 2, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received Vice President of the …

The post Ilham Aliyev received participants of meeting of heads of government of OTS member states first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.


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CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity


The Expert Council on NGO Law, an expert body of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, issued a critical opinion on a legislative package adopted on March 4 by Georgia’s disputed parliament that further restricted grants and political activity, saying the measures are incompatible with Georgia’s obligations as a CoE member, “entirely inappropriate,” and should be repealed.

The opinion examined amendments to the Law on Grants, the Law on Political Associations, the Criminal Code, and the Administrative Offences Code. With the changes, the disputed Parliament introduced additional curbs on foreign funding, criminalized “external lobbying,” restricted political activities, imposed limitations on businesses, and penalized “systematic acts” aimed at “establishing the perception” of the government’s illegitimacy.

According to the paper, the restrictions affected by the adoption of the laws will have “a very serious impact” on fundamental rights, including freedom of association and expression.

The document noted that “many of the provisions in the Laws do not fulfil the prescribed by law requirement for imposing any restrictions on rights guaranteed by the ECHR,” further stressing “serious grounds for doubting whether most of them have a legitimate aim.” The Expert Council further said most provisions cannot be considered “necessary in a democratic society,” given the scope of restrictions and penalties.

“In the circumstances, the adoption of the Laws will further exacerbate the grave and unjustified damage that has already been caused to civil society in Georgia,” the paper warned, adding, “Their adoption is inconsistent with a wide range of commitments that this member State of the Council of Europe has undertaken and is thus entirely inappropriate.”

“It would, therefore, be appropriate [to] repeal the amendments that have been effected by the adoption of the Laws, as well as to desist from any steps to enforce the implementation of the provisions previously addressed in the 2024 and 2025 Opinions,” the paper concluded.

Particular concern in the paper is raised over amendments to the Law on Grants, which it described as “problematic in several respects.”

The requirement that a legal entity of another state must obtain the consent from the Georgian government before disbursing a grant is described as “an attempt to interfere with the right of such an entity to seek funding for its activities without any substantiation of harm to Georgia,” as well as “an unjustified legislative overreach, effectively entailing an interference with the sovereignty of the State where such an entity is established.”

The opinion added that the breadth of this requirement could affect not only political disagreement with Georgian policies, but also “academic research on Georgia, which has no concern with current political issues.”

It also criticized the expansion of the definition of grants to include any form of technical assistance, warning that this could effectively prohibit exchanges of ideas related to Georgian policies without prior government approval, thereby constraining “legitimate social exchanges that are the lifeblood of democracy.”

The opinion further highlighted the severity of penalties introduced under the amendments, including imprisonment of up to six years. It noted that such sanctions “could be much greater than the fines” previously deemed “excessive” by the European Court of Human Rights in cases concerning Russia’s “foreign agent” legislation.

“Even if aspects of the amendments could be said to have a legitimate aim, there is no actual substantiation of the threat which the activities are alleged to pose and no consideration of whether there might be less draconian means of addressing it,” the document said, noting that the Venice Commission has similarly assessed such measures as “excessive and risk producing a serious chilling effect on civil freedoms.”

Also Read:

The post CoE Body Calls on Georgia to Repeal Laws Restricting Grants, Political Activity first appeared on The South Caucasus News – SouthCaucasusNews.com.