Samegrelo. According to the Transparency International Georgia "Road Plus" LLC and "Building Group 17" LLC, which are connected to Zaza Antia, a friend and classmate of Zugdidi Mayor Mamuka Tsotseria and Deputy State Trustee in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Davit Kukhaleishvili, are being awarded local procurement contracts. “Since 2018, companies have been awarded tenders amounting to 22,108,948 GEL. Within this sum, Zugdidi City Hall has made purchases worth 12,129,286 GEL”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Under the leadership of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, 8 civil society organizations presented the fourth edition of an assessment document – EU CANDIDACY CHECK, which reflects the progress achieved by the Georgian authorities in this context until the period of June 15, 2023, as well as the current state of play and the steps to be implemented in the future. “According to CSOs’ assessments, at this stage, one priority is fully implemented, two priorities are mostly fulfilled, five priorities are partially fulfilled, and four priorities defined by the European Union are to be fulfilled”. Read more… Source: osgf.ge

Regions. IDFI held three days of training sessions in Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, and Zugdidi from June 21 to 23 on practical methods and techniques for monitoring government activities. The training was intended for local civil society organizations, activists, journalists, and students. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. According to the TI Georgia, for the first time in 20 years, the Government of Georgia opted out of participating in the monitoring round of the OECD's Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (OECD/ACN). Georgia is the only country that did not endorse the monitoring, unlike Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Mongolia. “The signatory organizations call on the Government of Georgia to resume participation in the monitoring process initiated under the Istanbul Action Plan (IAP) program and to continue cooperation with the OECD's Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (OECD/ACN)”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary reacts to the amendments in the Organic Law on Common Courts. “On June 13, the Parliament of Georgia adopted amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on Common Courts in the third reading. The Georgian Dream’s stated purpose of adopting the amendments was to fulfill the recommendations of the European Commission. However, according to the Venice Commission’s opinion, the draft law did not meet its recommendations concerning the judiciary.  That is why the Coalition calls on: The President of Georgia to submit the Law to the Venice Commission for urgent opinion; and The President and the Parliament of Georgia, if necessary, to use the constitutional mechanisms that will ensure the reflection of the fundamental justice sector reforms in the law in accordance with the Venice Commission’s recommendations”. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. On June 14, Civil Society Institute (SCI), in partnership with European Center for Non-for-Profit Law (ECNL) and Partners Georgia held a discussion meeting, which aimed at increasing the engagement of civil society and consolidation of CSOs’ visions around Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). See more… Source: civilin.org

Tbilisi. According to the IDFI, the new law significantly changed the balance between the personal data protection and the transparency and established new standards of publicity, which should be considered a positive development. The parliament took into account a number of IDFI’s recommendations and the norms, which in many cases were the basis for limiting access to information by public institutions, were changed and replaced with unambiguous regulations. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. According to the Transparency International Georgia, a significant number of property declarations from 202 officials in Samtskhe-Javakheti municipalities contain various violations. Click here to view a detailed breakdown of the types of violations identified… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information shares the survey: Analysis of Overall Statistical Data on General Courts of Georgia 2010-2022”. “The analysis of the overall statistical data received from the Supreme Court of Georgia shows that in 2022, compared to the previous year, the number of appeals to the court for all three categories of cases has increased. The highest rate of criminal cases filed since 2010 was recorded in 2022, which can to some extent be attributed to the deterioration of the criminogenic environment in the country. It is worth noting that the share of acquittals in criminal cases has significantly increased in the last 5 years, which on the one hand may be due to the raising of the standard of evidence required by the court to prove guilt, and on the other hand to the increase in the number of criminal cases conducted by investigative agencies in an unqualified manner”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia previously wrote about the reasons why a register of beneficial owners (BO) needs to be set up in Georgia. The organization spoke about the need for citizens to know who ultimately owns companies that are strategically important for the country as well as the fact that the creation of such a register would help Georgia’s EU integration and the fulfillment of other international obligations. “Since then, another important reason for creating the registry appeared. After Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent decision by Western countries to fully engage their sanctions regimes, beneficial ownership registries have become one of the main tools for tracing sanctioned persons and their assets. In Georgia, where traces of ownership of many strategically important companies lead to Russia, and where economic dependence on Russia is growing at a rapid pace, setting up a register of beneficial owners is a necessity. Such a register will enable the identification of entities under Western sanctions and help mitigate risks associated with Russian capital in general”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia publishes the Newsletter for quarterly political donations. “From January 1 up to March 31, 2023, all the parties have received donations of GEL 640,569 in total. Almost half of this amount – GEL 300,000 – went to the ruling party, Lelo for Georgia ranked second with GEL 201,000, and European Georgia – Movement for Liberty ranked third with GEL 84,299”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to the TI Georgia, Four companies linked with a member of the Parliament of Georgia, Zaal Dugladze, have received a total of GEL 8,562,573 through the State Agrocredit Program in the years 2013-2022. “Along with Zaal Dugladze, a brother of Bidzina Ivanishvili, Alexander Ivanishvili, has business interests in the companies. One of the beneficiaries of the preferential agro-credit program is Dugladze Wine Company LLC, which has benefited from the program more often than any other physical and legal persons – 45 times in total – and received GEL 4,335,895 as cheap financial resource”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Kakheti. On April 26th, USAID representatives, together with staff from MAC Georgia, conducted a monitoring visit to the Lagodekhi Independent Living Center. The Lagodekhi ILC Leaders informed the guests about the center operations, current initiatives, and general achievements. Since its establishment in May 2021, the Lagodekhi ILC has served more than 490 persons with disabilities and their family members, offering peer support, referral provision, awareness raising, needs assessments, and advocacy/rights protection. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) shares with you the annual report 2022. The annual report contains information regarding the activities and achievements of IDFI in the following thematic areas: Open Government, Fighting Corruption, Economic and Social Policy, Rule of Law and Human Rights, Local Government, Media and Freedom of Expression, Internet and Innovations, Memory and disinformation studies. Source: idfi.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. A company owned by the son and daughter-in-law of Nodar Talakhadze, the Chairperson of the Infrastructure Commission and Member of the Tender Commission of the Akhaltsikhe City Council - Company L S Georgia LLC - received 8,797,512 GEL from the state procurements in 2020-2021. 2,290,017 GEL (78%) contracts of which were awarded by Akhaltsikhe City Hall through tenders without competition and direct procurements. Transparency International Georgia calls on the Anti-corruption Agency of the State Security Service to examine the state procurement contracts signed between Company L S Georgia LLC and the Akhaltsikhe Municipality City Hall and establish whether there were potential corruption deals between the supplier and purchasing organizations. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Child benefits support children in need, though 38% of children in Georgia are affected by material and social deprivations, reveals the Child Welfare Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) with support from UNICEF.  The purpose of the survey was to measure children’s welfare in several core domains, including access to education, healthcare and social assistance, nutrition during school hours, safety at home, material and social deprivation, functional difficulties and stigma associated with disability. Find out more… The survey is available here… Source: www.unicef.org

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations continue to monitor the fulfillment of 12 priorities defined by the European Commission to grant the candidate status to the country. Under the leadership of the Open Society Georgia Foundation, 8 organizations prepared an assessment document – EU CANDIDACY CHECK, which reflects the progress achieved by the Georgian authorities in this context until the period of March 31, 2023, as well as the current state of play and the steps to be implemented in the future. According to CSOs’ assessments, at this stage, one priority is fully implemented, two priorities are mostly fulfilled, four priorities are partially fulfilled, and five priorities defined by the European Union are to be fulfilled. Read more… Source: osgf.ge

Kvemo Kartli. According to the TI Georgia, the company of Davit Chartolani, Koruldi LLC, wins tenders in the Mestia Municipality without competition. “Chartolani is the former Deputy Head of the Bolnisi Municipal Administration, and he was also the Chief of the Election Headquarters of the Georgian Dream in 2012. The total value of the contracts received by Koruldi LLC is 2,247,897 GEL. It should be noted that Davit Chartolani, together with Otar Chartolani owns the company of the same name Koruldi LLC. Otar Chartolani is the donor of the Georgian Dream party and the business partner of the parliamentary majority MP Viktor Japaridze. We call on the Anti-corruption Agency of the State Security Service to examine the participation of Koruldi LLC in the Mestia Municipality procurements and establish whether it contains potential signs of corruption”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. According to the Transparency International Georgia, there are signs of corruption present in the development of Salibauri Hills residential area near Batumi, which is being planned by the Russian-owned company “H Group Development.” “On November 25, 2022, two Georgian citizens connected with the company donated a total of GEL 40,000 to the ruling party. Two weeks later, Khelvachauri Municipal Council unanimously approved the Detailed Development Plan (DDP) for the project. The fact that the permit was issued shortly after the donation raises the suspicion that the purpose of the donation may have been to obtain said permit”. See full blog… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Social Justice Center shares the document which reviews the institutional arrangement, main functions, management issues and the accountability concerns over the National Security Council and its bodies. “In light of Georgia’s regional and global challenges, it is concerning that the national-level conceptual documents - the National Security Concept, the Threats Assessment Document, and the relevant strategies are outdated and cannot respond to emerged challenges”… Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. According to the TI Georgia the individual entrepreneur Alexander Khergiani who was the Deputy Head of the Municipal Administration of Mestia received 243,034 GEL from the Mestia Municipality procurements.   “Alexander Khergiani is a business partner of the Deputy Mayor of Mestia Neli Naveriani’s son, in Hatsvali 2015 LLC (https://bit.ly/3lphQQU). Neli Naveriani is the spouse of the Majority MP Viktor Japaridze’s cousin. TI Georgia calls on the Anti-Corruption Agency to examine each procurement and establish whether it contains potential signs of corruption or not”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. According to the TI Georgia, Martin Gabrieliani, who has held various public positions in Akhalkalaki Municipality since 2013, receives state procurements. Since August 2019, his company Megobroba-5 LLC has received 36 public procurements and signed contracts for 1,390,861 GEL. Whence, his company received 667,186 GEL (47.9%) from the Akhalkalaki budget through 21 procurements. “Transparency International Georgia calls on the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service to examine state procurements of Megobroba-5 LLC and establish whether there were possible corrupt deals between it and the procuring organizations”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge