Opposition figure Gulu Mammadli stated that the arrest of Ali Karimli, leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), was expected, but the reasons go beyond simple criticism of the authorities. According to Mammadli, Karimli's publications in major Western media have increased his political significance and visibility abroad, which has caused concern among the Azerbaijani authorities.
Georgia will not be able to become a member of the European Union if its government does not change its course. The organization calls for free and fair holding of the upcoming parliamentary elections. This was reported in a joint statement by the ministers for European affairs of 13 EU member states.
The document was signed by representatives of Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic. The statement said that Georgia received the status of a candidate for the EU in December 2023, subject to the implementation of 9 steps of the European Commission. However, recently, an analogue of the Russian law on foreign agents and other controversial laws have been adopted, which has suspended the country's European integration.
The ministers for European affairs also pointed to the "unprecedented" anti-Western rhetoric from Georgian politicians from the ruling Georgian Dream party. European politicians called the statements of the "dreamers" "propaganda, disinformation and slander against Georgia's Western partners." The day before, a march under the slogan "Georgia chooses the European Union" took place in Tbilisi. Participants spoke in favor of the country's European integration and accused the current authorities, represented by the ruling party, of changing the foreign policy course and hindering further movement towards the EU.