The International Court of Justice has given Armenia and Azerbaijan a deadline of November 12, 2025 to submit counter-arguments regarding the violation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. According to the Court, it is about the case initiated by Azerbaijan against Armenia based on the complaint submitted on September 23, 2021. It is reported that taking into account the order of January 21, 2022, by which the Court has set January 23, 2023 and January 23, 2024 as the appropriate dates for submission of arguments by Azerbaijan and counter-arguments by Armenia. As noted in the report, taking into account the argument of Azerbaijan, which was submitted within the time limit thus established, and the preliminary objections raised by Armenia on April 21, 2023, the submission of preliminary objections by Armenia led to the suspension of the consideration of the case on the merits. By its decision of November 12, 2024, the Court found itself competent to examine the application submitted by Azerbaijan, excluding Azerbaijan's claims related to the alleged actions that took place before September 15, 1996. Therefore, the Court set the deadline for submission of counterarguments by Armenia to November 12, 2025 and announced that it reserves the further procedure for a further decision. Let's remind that earlier, on September 16, 2021, Armenia started a trial at the International Court of Justice against Azerbaijan in relation to the violation of the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan, as part of her working visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, met the President of the European Union Criminal Justice Agency (Eurojust) Ladislav Hamran in The Hague on November 6, 2024. Anna Vardapetyan thanked the President of Eurojust for the warm reception and emphasized that the third meeting within a year is a proof of the developing interaction between the two structures. The RA Prosecutor General highlighted the cooperation agreement between Armenia and Eurojust signed in Brussels on April 5, 2024, which was ratified by the RA National Assembly on September 10, and on September 23, Armenia signed a working agreement with Eurojust. Let's remind that the Agreement envisages the possibility of sending a Prosecutor of Commonwealth Affairs from Armenia to Eurojust. Representation of the Prosecutor's Office in Eurojust will provide an opportunity to ensure operational communication with contact persons of EU member states and third countries, will provide an opportunity to implement more effective international legal cooperation with criminal proceedings initiated in the Republic of Armenia. During the meeting, the parties discussed the ongoing work towards the implementation of the Agreement and referred to other issues of mutual interest. During his visit to Eurojust, the Prosecutor General of RA also had meetings with the representatives of Italy and Greece at Eurojust.

Albania's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku has been suspended and banned from traveling abroad as part of the ongoing investigation. On October 31, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office informed Balluku that an investigation is being conducted against him for violating the rules of tenders related to road construction in 2020. He denies the accusations. At the request of SPAK [Special Prosecutor for Corruption and Organized Crime], the Special Court of First Instance imposed personal security measures on [Balluku], banning him from performing his duties and leaving the country. Personal security measures were also applied to two other persons under investigation. Balluku, a key figure in the ruling Socialist Party led by Edi Rama, has been Minister of Infrastructure and Energy since 2019 and Deputy Prime Minister since 2022. The opposition Democratic Party demanded his resignation. Speaking in the parliament on Wednesday, he called the accusations against him groundless. Prime Minister Rama also expressed his support to the Deputy Prime Minister when the opposition demanded his resignation.

The opening ceremony of the special military exercise of the Collective Security Treaty Organization "Kobalt-2024" has started in Novosibirsk Region, led by the Russian Guard. According to the TASS agency, new forms and methods of operations of groups of forces and means will be tested during the military exercises, new samples of weapons and military equipment will be tested, as well as tactical tricks of using unmanned aerial vehicles. Representatives of interested ministries and departments of the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are participating in the event. It was reported earlier that Armenia will not participate in the military exercises.

US Deputy Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeyan will visit Tbilisi and Yerevan from July 9 to 17, 2024 to discuss issues of democratic governance and anti-corruption, media and freedom of speech, as well as the inclusion of marginalized and vulnerable groups. This is stated in the statement of the US State Department. "In Georgia, Deputy Secretary of State Zeya will meet with representatives of the government, civil society, media and parliament to highlight the serious US concerns about the Foreign Influence Act and other illiberal laws, as well as the damaging rhetoric of the Georgian government, which calls into question Georgia's Euro-Atlantic trajectory. He will make it clear that the government's undemocratic behavior and misinformation about the United States have damaged our longstanding relationship. Deputy Minister Zeya will also emphasize the unwavering support of the United States for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the commitment of the Georgian people to Euro-Atlantic integration, and Georgia's support throughout the 32-year partnership. In addition, he will re-emphasize the importance of free and fair elections, a vibrant civil society, respect for fundamental freedoms, the protection of members of marginalized groups, and the human rights of all Georgians. "Deputy Secretary of State Zeyan will also visit a non-governmental organization founded and managed by women displaced as a result of the ongoing Russian occupation of Georgia," the message states. According to the US State Department, in Armenia Zeya will meet with high-ranking government officials and representatives of civil society to strengthen the Armenian-American partnership and promote Armenia's democratic achievements in the areas of rule of law, anti-corruption and judicial reforms. He will visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the 1915 Genocide. and with other international organizations operating in Armenia that provide support to representatives of vulnerable and marginalized groups. In addition, the deputy secretary will visit Haghpat Monastery to promote respect for religious freedom and to support the preservation of culture," the message states.

Former MP of RA Arman Tatoyan referred to the statement of NA Speaker Alen Simonyan to the Church, in which he raised the issue of taxing the Church. "The government is already in the National Assembly openly demonstrating its intentions of persecuting the Armenian National Church, which has the constitutional status of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, using the "opportunity". Starting from the first period of coming to power, the facts of doing this to the Church as an institution are obvious When in 2018 The initiators of the "New Armenia, New Patriarch" movement carried out political actions against the Mother See in the courtyard of St. Anna and St. Catholic Churches. In response to the petitions, the authorities reasoned that this area is of public importance and these actions are legal. Today, it is announced in the Parliament that the gatherings organized by His Excellency Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan in that same place are unacceptable. 2018 the violent invasion of a group of people into the Mother See Holy Etchmiatsin Divanatun with the apparent indulgence of the government. The attack on the Catholicos of All Armenians, the blockade of the car and threats with stones. For security reasons, the removal of the police escort of the car serving the Catholicos of All Armenians. Discrediting assessments of the church and clergy with impermissible vocabulary and insults to dignity and reputation. The "threat to subject the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church to taxation" has already been responded to by the Holy Etchmiadzin Mother See," Tatoyan wrote.

On May 7, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan met with the Committee of Deputy Permanent Representatives of NATO at the NATO headquarters in Brussels. In his speech, the deputy minister noted that about thirty years ago, Armenia's joining the "Partnership for Peace" program of the North Atlantic Alliance was an important basis for the further development of cooperation between Armenia and NATO. Vahan Kostanyan noted that Armenia is ready to deepen the result-oriented cooperation with both the Alliance and its individual member states, in the direction of increasing Armenia's defense and security capabilities, as well as its resilience. Armenia's participation in international peacekeeping missions, including the NATO-led KFOR mission in Kosovo, was also highlighted. Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan presented to NATO partners the security situation and challenges in the South Caucasus, the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the 1991 Developments in the demarcation process based on the Alma-Ata Declaration. Reference was also made to the normalization of relations with Turkey, a member of the Alliance. In the context of the development of regional economic interdependence, Vahan Kostanyan also presented the "Crossroads of Peace" project developed by the RA government and the opportunities provided by it. Thoughts were also exchanged on international security issues of mutual interest.

During the second reading, the State Duma postponed until March 21 the discussion of the bill, which plans to recognize the driver's licenses of Armenian citizens in Russia, when carrying out business and work activities, reports "RIA Novosti". The document provides for the recognition of national driver's licenses of Armenian citizens in the territory of the Russian Federation when carrying out entrepreneurial and work activities related to driving vehicles, it is stated in the explanatory note of the bill presented by the government. The President of the Chamber Vyacheslav Volodin proposed to invite the representatives of the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to discuss the bill, as well as to prepare for the discussion of this issue the representatives of the CIS Committee, which cooperates with colleagues from Armenia. "To discuss this issue within the framework of our communication with the Armenian Parliament... Nothing will happen if we postpone the discussion to next week, on the 21st of the month, what do you think?" Moreover, it will be more correct if we discuss this issue with our colleagues, the deputies of the Armenian parliament," said Volodin. After the discussion with the departments, Volodin suggested to continue the discussion. He added that it is a serious step that emphasizes the level of relations between the countries. "What is the position of the Prime Minister of Armenia?" These are serious decisions, we are opening the market, improving self-realization opportunities for Armenian citizens who, after the adoption of this law, will be able to work in the territory of the Russian Federation, using their national rights," said the spokesperson. Currently, the permit to drive vehicles is valid for citizens of Kyrgyzstan and those countries where the use of the Russian language is confirmed as official.