Tbilisi. Today, the IDFI together with the GYLA presented the results of the interim alternative monitoring reports on the implementation of Public Administration Reform Action Plan for 2019 – 2020.  During the presentation participants discussed the following directions of the PAR Action Plan for 2019 – 2020: Policy Planning and Coordination, Accountability, Public Service Delivery and Public Finances. Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

Imereti. By the TI outdoor lighting service costs have become more expensive in Kutaisi Municipality. “The number of legal entities created by the Kutaisi Municipality is growing year by year. N(N)LE "Kutganatebi Service" is one of the legal entities created recently by the Municipality. According to the information provided by the Municipality, it was established for cost savings, but the maintenance/operation of the network of outdoor lighting and traffic lights is nowadays more expensive as compared to the previous years”, - mentioned TI. Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. Today, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) presented a report related to a 2016-2019 monitoring of expenses incurred for remuneration of activities that members and employees of the Central Election Commission of Georgia performed.  The document examines regulations (salary, supplement and bonus/cash reward) and existing practice of labor remuneration for members and managers of the Central Election Commission of Georgia, members of the District Election Commission, staff and supernumeraries. The purpose of the report is to analyze what positive changes have been made in the election administration in terms of payment of labor remuneration and what challenges the institution faces in this regard.  Read more… Source: The website of the organization

IDFI reviewed position of Georgia in The UN E-Government Survey 2020.  “Georgia’s scores in terms of e-government and e-participation have slightly improved in the UN E-Government Survey 2020. Although the country has dropped by 5 positions in the e-government ranking, it advanced by 7 positions in the e-participation ranking. Comparing to other countries in the region, it becomes apparent that Georgia is losing momentum in this field, and is slowly losing the opportunity of becoming a leading nation in the region in terms of e-government reforms”, - is mentioned in the information published by the organization. Read more  Source: The web-page of the organization

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) evaluates an electoral reform of 2019-2020 years. “Through the efforts of local stakeholders and international partners, on June 13, 2019, there was conducted the first meeting of the working group on election issues at the Parliament of Georgia. Even after lengthy deliberations and agreement of the majority of the working group on certain issues, relevant amendments were not reflected in elaborated and submitted drafts”, - is stated in the analysis prepared by ISFED, - “Present document contains a review of recommendations, provided by ISFED and Transparency International Georgia on the most important issues of the electoral reform, and changes made in legislation”. Read more… Source: The website of the organization

Tbilisi. According to information released by Transparency International Georgia, television of Deputy Chairman of Ninotsminda City Assembly wins tenders at Ninotsminda Municipality without competition. “Parvana”, a TV-radio Company of Konstantin Vardanyan, Deputy Chairman of Ninotsminda City Assembly, received GEL320645 from the Ninotsminda budget within the period from 2014 to date, when Vardanyan was appointed to his position. 9 out of 12 purchase agreements, obtained in seven years, “Parvana” signed with Ninotsminda City Hall and its NNLEs. After appointing Vardanyan to his position, “Parvana” received also a space of 273 sq.m. free of charge from City Hall in Ninotsminda”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy has been monitoring the pre-election period of the October 31, 2020 elections of the Parliament of Georgia since June 1. “The monitoring is carried out with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the European Union. The first interim report on the monitoring of the pre-election period mainly covers the period from June 1 through July 4, 2020, as well as developments that have been initiated before June 1 and continued also during the monitoring period”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), there are transparency gaps in activities of Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC). “In its letter, seeking public information, IDFI requested a roster of staff of “Media Academy”, copies of legislative acts defining functions of “Medialab”, “Media Criticism” and “Media School”, operating within the “Media Academy”, information regarding activities performed by them, indicating expenses, their budget and other data. Unfortunately, in its reply, “Media Academy” refused to provide us requested information and, as a justification, stated that “Media Academy” was not a legal entity under public law neither in the organizational-legal nor functional sense”... Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has presented the first interim report on pre-election monitoring of the 2020 elections of the Parliament of Georgia. According to observation of ISFED, during the reporting period there have been revealed: 19 facts of alleged electoral bribery, including 16 cases committed by Majoritarian Members of Parliament of Georgia, while 3 – by “Movement for the future – Momo”, 2 facts of alleged use of state resources, 1 fact of pressure on an observer of ISFED, 2 facts of obstruction in political activity, 1 fact of pressure / threatening probably on political grounds. Besides, as the organization found, in the months of March-June there have been detected cases of distribution of food and/or medical packages to population performed by certain Majoritarian Members of Parliament within the framework of various social events, which fact contains signs of bribing voters - an action prohibited by Article 252 of the Law of Georgia on Political Associations of Citizens”. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. Four civil society organizations call on the Government to establish an independent anti-corruption agency. “We firmly remain on our position and call on the Government of Georgia to take into account recommendations of strategic partners and civil society organizations, conduct in-depth analysis in regard to high-level corruption in the country and make such an important commitment as to establish an independent anti-corruption agency, main function of which will be prevention and investigation of high-level corruption”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) presented a brief report related to the situation existing at the occupied regions of Georgia to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “In the conditions of absence of independent mechanisms for monitoring human rights on the occupied territories, information of organizations working on human rights has a particular importance for the Office of the High Commissioner. It is already the fourth year that the OHCHR report, based on a relevant resolution of the UN Human Rights Council, broadly describes dire situation existing on the occupied territories of Georgia in terms of humanitarian needs and human rights. The information provided by EMC focuses on the most important circumstances occurred in 2019, severe humanitarian crisis and systemic violations of human rights”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Due to the information of Transparency International Georgia the companies whose shares are owned by Georgian MP Viktor Japaridze and his son, Otar Japaridze, are winning tenders. The total value of the contracts they have been awarded since 2018 amounts to GEL 6,264,688. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes a report related to evaluation of actions taken by the Government: Management of challenges entailed by the COVID-19 infection. “Actions of the Government have made it prevent mass spread of the new coronavirus in the country. It would be unjustifiable to say that the Government managed to achieve these results at the expense of mass violation of human rights, however there were also certain shortcomings in the process”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has submitted its conclusion on draft amendments to the election legislation to the Parliament. The organization positively appraises the process of drafting the bill, the open format, which has been going on for a year.  “Despite positive changes (a new model of funding parties, restriction of engagement of people employed in budgetary organizations in the election agitation, additional regulations prohibiting use of administrative resources, etc.), there are still remaining issues, which we consider critically important to conduct fair elections: Control of expression of the will of voters... Staffing of the election administration... Gender quotas”...  Read more… Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On 19 and 24 June, the Memory and Disinformation Studies Direction at the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information organized one Russian-language and one English-language online meeting with the researchers and experts involved in IDFI’s project „Enhancing Openness of State Archives in Former Soviet Republics and Eastern Bloc Countries“. The participants discussed the results of the research carried out in the state archives of 18 countries, that are published on the website of the International Rating of Archives created by IDFI and are also included in IDFI’s final report. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) evaluates shortcomings and risks revealed at the stage of elaboration and administration of an anti-crisis plan of the Government.  The organization considers that the process of releasing assistance is accompanied by significant problems, which means criteria for joining the program are vague or contradictory, existing procedures depend on goodwill of employer, certain vulnerable groups are left without support by the state and etc. At the same time, conditions of additional credit obligations, taken by the state, are still unclear and non-transparent. These circumstances cast doubt on effectiveness of the anti-crisis plan and raise important questions about its long-term consequences.  Read more…  Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) publishes an article containing s a review of donations made in favor of the ruling party during 2019 and up to June 3, 2020, which raise questions in terms of their legitimacy and honesty of intention. “Political donations often involve risks of corruption. Companies that fund the ruling party may happen to win a large number of tenders and, thus, actually return money they have given out, or to enjoy other types of benefits or privileges. Besides, companies often bypass limits, set by law, in various ways and fund the ruling party much more than it is allowed”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by Myth Detector, Google is going to start verifying search results for photos in order to stop spreading disinformation on the platform,. “Why it is important: The threat of a text-based disinformation may be overshadowed by a misleader, manipulative and fake photos/videos, including convincing deep fakes that are generated through artificial intelligence”, - is stated on the website of Myth Detector. Read more… Source: mythdetector.ge

Tbilisi. According to information released by the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), researchers of the American research organization “Graphika” (https://www.graphika.com/our-story) and social media have revealed and described in details the Russian information operation that takes place secretly for 6 years. “The Secondary Infektion operation was mainly related to the Ukraine, the United States and Turkey, however, a lot of other countries were also selected as targets for disinformation. According to a report prepared by “Graphika”, Georgia is one of those several countries, against which disinformation campaigns have been launched. Within the framework of this operation, Georgia was presented as a country that was not ready to join the European Union and NATO. Reasons for this were said to be soft position of Georgia in relation with Russia and its incompatibility with Western values. The Russian information operation also included messages as if Georgia was not a reliable country due to the high risk of corruption; its foreign policy line was not clearly established and was therefore unpredictable”, - is stated in the report of the organization. Read more… Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has provided its comments on several issues that are part of the 2020 voluntary national review report related to sustainable development goals of Georgia. Above issues constitute important directions of activities of the organization.  The organization considers that there are number of shortcomings in listed directions (institutional arrangement of the Interagency Council for Sustainable Development Goals and raising awareness of sustainable development goals; integration of sustainable development goals into national strategic documents; participatory process of policy development; justice system; fight against corruption). These shortcomings have negative impact on the process of implementation of sustainable development goals.  Read more…  Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Within the framework of the “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project, there have been created publications: To what extent does Georgia fulfill its obligations committed on the basis of the Association Agreement with the European Union?  Documents touch upon results of the monitoring of fulfillment of obligations committed by Georgia in various fields...   All information regarding association with the European Union can be found on one website   Publications have been created within the framework of the “Civil Society Sustainability Initiative” project with the support of the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS).  Source: The website of the organization in a social network

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center offers an overview of the report published by the United States Department of State on June 10 about freedom of religion in Georgia. “While describing a common legal status, it is emphasized in the report that in Georgia the freedom of religion is guaranteed and persecution on religious grounds is prohibited by the Constitution. At the same time, it is noted that the Constitution of Georgia recognizes the special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the relationship between the state and the Church is regulated on the basis of the Concordat. It is stated in the report that the Concordat gives the dominant religious organization such privileges that other organizations do not have”, - is stated on the website of the organization. Read more… Source: emc.org.ge