On November 8th, 2022, a Twitter account named “ArmenianBreakingNews” published photos of the Tbilisi TV Tower and the Peace Bridge being illuminated in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag. According to the description, by lighting these landmarks, Georgia congratulated Azerbaijan on the day of victory in the war with Armenia – November 8th. The description states that congratulatory statements were also posted on Twitter by Israel and Belarus. November 8th is being celebrated in Azerbaijan after the 2020 Armenia-Azerbaijan 44-Day War.
The claim that Georgia congratulated Azerbaijan on the day of victory in the war with Armenia on November 8th by illuminating the Tbilisi TV Tower and the Peace Bridge in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag is false. The representative of Tbilisi City Hall denied the information in the comment with “Myth Detector”. The photo published on Twitter was, in fact, not taken on November 8th, 2022, but on May 28th, 2020, on the 102nd anniversary of the First Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.
The post creates the impression that Georgia expresses support for the Azerbaijani side in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, but in fact, the published photo was not taken on November 8th, 2022, but on May 28th, 2020, on the 102nd anniversary of the First Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.
The video showing the Tbilisi TV Tower and the Peace Bridge in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag was published by the Facebook page of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Georgia on May 28th, 2020, with the inscription “Happening Now.”
In 2020, the Tbilisi TV Tower was illuminated in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag on April 16th as a sign of solidarity in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, and on October 18th to celebrate Azerbaijan’s Independence Day.
“Myth Detector” contacted the Tbilisi City Hall about the alleged illumination of the Tbilisi TV Tower and the Peace Bridge on November 8th in the colours of the Azerbaijani flag. The City Hall denied the fact, noting that in 2022, the monuments were lit up in the said colors only on May 28th.
In celebration of the 104th anniversary of the First Republic of Azerbaijan, the Peace Bridge and Tower were illuminated in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag on May 28th, 2022.
On May 28th, 2021, Tbilisi TV Tower and the Building of the City Assembly were illuminated in the colors of the Azerbaijani flag.
Illuminating the TV Tower and other landmarks of the country in the colors of the flags of different states to celebrate national holidays is an accepted practice. For example, the Tower of Tbilisi was illuminated in the colors of the flags of Armenia, the US, France and other countries in the past years.
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