Askar Akayev was once lauded by Western countries as a democratic outlier in a region of despots and strongmen.

The illicit business has boomed as bicycles become a market increasingly being filled with high-end models costing thousands of Euros.

It is expected to mine 65 million tonnes of ore annually from the deposit area of 11,000 hectares starting from 2024.

According to Azerkontrakt, this agreement will allow the parties to make optimal use of their oil and gas infrastructure, and against the background of the rapid growth of gas production in the country

Commercial banks reported a total net profit of 1.059 billion lari ($342 million) from January to June compared to a loss of 477 million lari.