Russia & CIS

The share of the Internet browser Google Chrome in Azerbaijani market increased by 7.8 percent in 1H2018, the Global Stats statistics center said in a message.

Over the past 24 hours, Armenia’s armed forces have 90 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said July 25.

As a result of the anti-corruption measures by the new government of Armenia, offenses totaling about 29.2bn drams (approx. US$61,210,150) have been revealed, from May 8 to July 20, APA reports citing news.am.

On July 24, the State Duma gave the third and final reading to the law on increasing the value added tax by two percent from 18 to 20 percent.The government and the parliament, developing and adopting this law, proceeded from the assumption that a higher VAT would bring additional 600 billion rubles in revenues to the budget.However, the reaction to this law, as well as to the notorious bill on raising the retirement age, has been ambiguous, to put it mildly. Some MPs remain opposed to the law saying that it would strike a serious blow on people's well-being and trigger a rise in prices on everything. Valentin Shurchanov, a member of the Communist Party faction in the Russian Parliament, stated that the VAT law was "harmful." "We have budget reserves of nearly five trillion rubles. Yet, we want to collect 630 billion for the economy from people next year, even though we only keep those five trillion rubles in a quiet place," the MP said. Expert and economist Mikhail Khazin was more expressive in his remarks: "I think that raising taxes during an economic downturn is an idiotic initiative. They raised VAT by two percentage points from 18 percent, which in fact means a VAT increase by 11 percentage points. The VAT increase will have a negative effect on people's lives, because economic activity will decrease, prices will rise, and the number of jobs will decrease too."Mikhail Khazin also said that the government did not understand how to implement social initiatives in Putin's program: "Vladimir Putin set the goal to develop social policy, but the government believes that they do not have money for that. As they say, one needs to milk the cow more and feed her less to make her give more milk and eat less," the expert said. For common people, a VAT of 20 percent will entail an increase in prices on everything by approximately five percent. The rate of real inflation will accelerate too. People will have to spend less so that the government receives additional trillions of rubles in the budget. Many social networkers in Russia want to "thank" members of the United Russia faction, who make the majority in the Russian Parliament, for unanimously approving the laws that make people's lives worse. The law will come into force from January 1, 2019. It is believed that the law will send prices on absolutely all consumer goods up by at least eleven percent. In 2019, Russia is to experience a reduction in GDP and investment, as well as lower consumption levels. These indicators are expected to drop by 0.4-0.6 percentage points. In general, Russian citizens do not have to expect anything positive from their government in the foreseeable future. Many paid attention to the fact that MPs approved the law to raise the value added tax very quickly, as if they were in a great hurry. Usually, it takes the parliament a longer time to adopt laws. Business analysts also predict a sharp rise in prices on all goods. To compensate for decreased margins, manufacturers will most likely opt to include their costs in the final price. Higher prices will entail a moderate reduction in demand on the market. If each counterparty includes their costs in prices for their services, then prices may rise by 15-20 percent. The tax burden will also affect the construction sector, the automotive industry and mechanical engineering giving import goods a head start. It turns out that Putin's import substitution and efforts to support domestic producers turn out to be a proper mess.

The necessary measures are underway to release Dilgam Asgarov and Shahbaz Guliyev illegally detained by the separatist regime created in Azerbaijan’s territories occupied by Armenia, said Chairman of the Presidium of Azerbaijan's Bar Association Anar Baghirov said on Thursday, APA reports.

Prince Mired Bin Raad Bin Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan, who also chairs the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation (NCDR) of Jordan, on Thursday visited the Jojug Marjanli village of Azerbaijan’s Jabrayil district.

The opening of the memorial park, which will be named after prominent Azerbaijan singer and composer, people's artist Muslum Magomayev was held on July 18 in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Azerbaijan invites Italian companies operating in the field of "green technologies" to implement projects in the country, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Rufat Mammadov told reporters.

Azerbaijan-Italy business forum was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center on July 19, APA reported.

Over the past 24 hours, Armenia’s armed forces have 90 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said July 19.

Turkey lifted its two-year-old state of emergency as of Thursday 1 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Wednesday), APA reports quoting Anadolu Agency.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to award "Dostlug" Order to Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic Enzo Moavero Milanesi for outstanding services rendered to the strengthening of intergovernmental relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic.

“The President of Italy has arrived in Azerbaijan for an official visit for the first time in the history of our bilateral relations. I am sure that this remarkable event will open a new page in the development of our relations,” said President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev at the official reception in honor of President of Italy Sergio Mattarella.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on July 18 to award the Order of “Shohrat” (Glory) to Laura Mattarella, AzerTag reports.

Three people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and two injured in a traffic accident which occurred on Wednesday afternoon on the highway A7 near Avignon in the Vaucluse, a department in the southeast of France, Xinhua reported citing local media.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has issued an order to award the “Heydar Aliyev” Order to President of Italy Sergio Mattarella for his outstanding contribution to developing friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and Ukraine, APA reports.

Head of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Azerbaijan, Ambassador Kestutis Jankauskas has visited Tartar region. Organized by the International Eurasian Press Fund (IEPF), the visit saw Jankauskas familiarize himself with the needs and living conditions of people living next to the contact line.

Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she did not believe that Britain was getting close to a so-called “no deal” Brexit, where the country crashes out of the European Union without an exit agreement, Reuters reports.

Meeting of foreign ministers of Caspian states will be held before the summit of the heads of the Caspian states, Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on July 18, an APA correspondent reported from Moscow.

Azerbaijan’s defense minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov has met with Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said in a message July 18.