Imereti. Within the framework of the project "Civil Society STAR Initiative", LDA Georgia conducted training on the importance, role, stages, methods and specifics of advocacy for the members of CSOs and active citizens in the target municipalities. The trainings are being conducted by LDA Georgia within the framework of the project "Civil Society STAR  Initiative," with the support of the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. A large-scale rally was held in Tbilisi on June 24 in response to the failure of the Georgian Government to secure the EU candidate status. The European Union deferred giving Georgia its official EU candidate status until after the implementation of conditions set out in the 12-point Action Plan. The EU will assess Georgia's implementation of recommendations and conditions by the end of 2022. “We do not believe that the Government, which has a history of backtracking on promises made to international partners, will carry out the necessary reforms. On June 24, the people’s movement “Home to Europe” made the following demands: The resignation of the Georgian government led by Irakli Gharibashvili, who spared no effort to prevent Georgia from gaining EU candidate status in the run up to the final decision of the European Council by verbally attacking European diplomats and the country’s supporters, fueling internal political polarization and damaging the country's international image. We demanded Bidzina Ivanishvili to relinquish and transfer his executive power within Constitutional boundaries to the “Government of National Consent – For the EU”. This transitional government will be responsible for the implementation of the 12 priorities required by the EU for receiving the candidate status”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. You can already see the video about a Regional Civil Society Forum organized by Imereti Regional HUB – Local Democracy Agency Georgia (LDA Georgia) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC) in Akaki Tsereteli State University  in Kutaisi.  The main purpose of the forum was to promote a culture of volunteerism, to attract potential donors and to strengthen civil society in the Imereti region. The forum was organised within the framework of the project "Civil Society STAR Initiative: CSO's as Sustainable, Transparent, and Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia", supported by the European Union (EU) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary considers, that judicial reform is necessary to obtain EU candidate status. “According to the European Commission’s Opinions, based on which the European Council will make final decisions, Ukraine should fulfill seven conditions, Moldova ten conditions, and Georgia twelve conditions. Judicial reform is one of the main priorities among the conditions imposed on Georgia. We believe that the Venice Commission’s Opinion, critical statements made by local and international actors, and the conditions outlined in the European Commission’s opinion, indicate the need for fundamental justice sector reforms. Such changes are critical considering the ongoing highly important processes associated with European integration, because the justice sector reforms are a key prerequisite for the success of these processes. Considering all the above, we call on the Parliament of Georgia: To acknowledge the dire state of the court system and express a firm political will to comply with the European Commission’s requirements; To promptly amend the legislative framework deteriorated because of the changes of December 30, 2021; To implement all justice system-related legislative processes with the broad involvement of the public and judges, and in close cooperation with the Venice Commission”. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to the information of the TI Georgia, during his parliamentary address on June 22, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili spoke that Georgia is amongst champions in the fight against corruption. “The government of Georgia repeatedly misinterprets international rankings to conceal real problems in the country. This time the Prime Minister utilized the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2021. He stated that according to the CPI, Georgia ranked 51st in 2012 and 45th in 2021, disregarding that the score obtained by a country is more important than the rank. Georgia’s score has not improved significantly since 2012 when the country had 52 points out of 100; Nine years later, in 2021 Georgia had a score of 55, indicating the stagnation of anti-corruption reforms in the country. 55 points is an average result. For example, the scores of the top 10 performing countries exceed 80. He stated that Georgia is the unconditional leader in the Associated Trio, compared to Ukraine and Moldova. According to the CPI, Georgia does have a better result, which is largely due to the low level of petty bribery. However, successful anti-bribery reforms were carried out 18 years ago and cannot be recognized as the current government’s achievement. What the CPI scores actually indicate is that similar ambitious reforms have not been implemented in the last 9 years. Moreover, the CPI uses the term "state capture" only with reference to Georgia and not Moldova or Ukraine, which the Prime Minister also did not mention”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations', and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies publishes Kakha Gogolashvili’s blogpost: In line for the candidate status, Georgia will get a European perspective. What are we worried about.? “It is necessary for our government to immediately recognize the conditions presented by the European Commission, and express its full readiness to meet them. If the government does not agree with them, any discussion about it makes no sense. There have been no occasions for the European Commission to negotiate easing of the conditions. Therefore, if the current administration does not agree and refuses to meet the conditions set, it must relinquish its authority due to the constitutional obligation of the country for European integration. A new administration must then be appointed to fulfill the conditions. This is a minimalist scenario that does not involve new elections and a change of government. The change, if it became necessary, must be implemented very quickly, and the new administration must start working on fulfilling the conditions of the European Commission immediately and effectively”. Read more… Source: gfsis.org.ge

Tbilisi. "Step towards the Europe" responds to the European Commission's recommendations to the Council of the European Union regarding the decision on whether to grant EU candidate status to the Associated Trio. According to the document, the Commission's views on Georgia are extremely critical, and unlike Ukraine and Moldova, it does not contain a recommendation to immediately grant candidate status to Georgia. “The irresponsible attitude of the Georgian government towards the current process and the deliberate, damaging steps taken against the will of the Georgian people have undermined our country's historic opportunity to become part of the European Union. Despite the existing difficult situation, the European Union does not intend to abandon the Georgian people. This is evidenced by the list of actions outlined by the European Commission, which, upon fulfillment, will guarantee candidacy for EU membership. Before June 24, there is still a chance for the highest constitutional authorities to take swift steps to rectify the situation and thus send a strong message to the leaders of EU member states. In the opinion of the European Commission based on the existing reality in Georgia, in order to receive candidate status, the following steps are necessary: •    Reduction of political polarization in the spirit of the Charles-Michel Agreement. •    Strengthening of the independence and accountability of all state agencies to ensure their democratic oversight. •    Improvement of electoral legislation. •    Justice system reform. •    Anti-corruption reform. •    De-oligarchization of Georgia. •    Strengthening of the fight against organized crime. •    Improvement of the media environment. •    Protection of human rights, including those of vulnerable groups. •    Enhancement of gender equality and elimination of violence against women. •    Involvement of civil society in the decision-making process at all levels. •    Enforcement of rulings of the Strasbourg court. •    Selection of independent candidates in the process of electing the Public Defender. We, the representatives of civil society, once again call on the higher authorities to show readiness to resolve the above-mentioned issues. We call on them to act and ensure that concrete initiatives are adopted so that the main obstacles are removed by June 24. For our part, we are ready to provide the state agencies with the vision of reforms that we have produced over the years of our work”, is noted in the statement. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The member organizations of the Media Advocacy Coalition appeal to th President of Georgia to consider and positively resolve the issue of pardoning Nika Gvaramia, General Director of Mtavari Arkhi, as the arrest of the Founder and General Director of Mtavari Arkhi, a broadcasting channel which expresses critical attitudes towards the government, poses a real threat to our country. Fair Criticism with regards to Nika Gvaramia's Detention has also been incorporated in The European Parliament resolution of 8 June 2022 “on the Freedom of the Media and the Violation of the Safety of Journalists” calling on the Georgian authorities to adhere to the highest standards of democracy, including the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, air and legitimate judicial process and other fundamental freedoms, including in the area of media freedom. “We appeal to you, as the Head of State of Georgia, to pardon Nika Gvaramia and by doing so fulfill your crucial role in easing the current political crisis in the country as well as in the process of Georgia's integration into the European Union”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. On June 15, IDFI held panel discussions on "Enhancing Legislative Framework and practices for access to public information in Georgia." The event addressed the main obstacles and needs regarding Georgia's access to public information legislation and practice. In the course of the event, two-panel discussions gathered the international and Georgian experts and representatives of the civil, public, and private sectors. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations', and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. On June 21, 2022, 14:00 (CET) International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in the framework of the EU-funded “Strengthening Development Impact of Migration in Georgia” (STREAMinG) Project, invites Civil Society Organisations interested in the call for proposals  to participate in the information session. During the session, ICMPD will provide details on the technical and administrative aspects of the Call for Proposals. The meeting will include a Questions & Answers session for prospective applicants. The Online meeting will be held in English with simultaneous translation to Georgian. All interested candidates please follow the link… The Call for Proposals is released with direct support from the European Union and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The Call for Proposals Guidelines are available in English on the following Link... Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The signatory organizations respond to the news story aired by TV Pirveli on June 12. The story describes the alleged involvement of the State Security Service (SSS) employees in the planning and execution of the violent events of July 5. “The mass violence on July 5, 2021, was considered to be an exceptional case of police inactivity and the demonstrative state’s passivity in protecting journalists and activists. However, the information released on June 12 prompts an even more dangerous and disturbing assumption that it may be the SSS that stands behind the planning and management of that mass violence”. Read more…  Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Annual Report provides information about TI Georgia's essential events and primary directions that our professional team has worked on in the past year. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Institute of Politics publishes the blogpost: Public Support to the European Integration: For Georgia What Comes After “Candidate” Status.? “June 2022 is a memorable date for Georgia’s European future. For many reasons, if the decision on whether to grant Georgia candidate status is positive, it will be a turning point for the country’s development in the right direction. Historically, European integration has been supported in Georgia for the most part as expressed and stated in the Constitution. However, if Georgia is not granted “candidate” status at this stage, maintaining public support will be difficult. For us, it is vital that the alarming outcomes that might follow if Georgia is denied “candidate” status, are discussed in Brussels with the utmost caution.  Consideration of these risks and attempts to alleviate them is crucial. Due to the rapid geopolitical shifting, Georgia’s European future might be severely damaged, especially if the country remains outside the European radar without “candidate” status”. Read more… Source: gip.ge

Tbilisi. From 7th to 9th June 2022 the EU Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) Global Facility organized a regional event in Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) was the local partner of the event. The main topic of discussion was the consequences of the Ukraine invasion on the AML/CFT regime for NPOs in the Eastern Partnership countries. During the 3-day regional meeting speakers and participants discussed the challenges that emerged in the region after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, how they should be addressed by the NPOs, and how they should provide humanitarian assistance and ensure transparency in the process. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Civil initiative "Step Towards Europe" responds to the European Parliament resolution. “On behalf of the civic initiative "Step Towards Europe", we would like to respond to the resolution on Georgia adopted by the European Parliament on June 9 and the debates held a day earlier, where all political groups were unanimous in their assessment that, under the current Georgian government, democratic backsliding is occurring in the country. Furthermore, in a joint statement on June 9, the leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups called on member state governments to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status ahead of a key European Council meeting on June 23-24. Georgia, however, was mentioned separately as the statement called on member states to "work for the same status for Georgia in order to fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Georgian people." Instead of responding with anti-European statements that are detrimental to the country, the government should immediately start an inclusive process and create a short-term agenda for fundamental reforms, which will ensure a timely resolution of the problems cited in the European Parliament resolution. The government should also take concrete steps to demonstrate that it is fulfilling the request of the Georgian people, of which more than 80% steadfastly and unequivocally support joining the European Union. We, for our part, with the accumulated expertise and ready-made concepts for reforms, are ready to contribute to the process that will make a European future for our people and the acquisition of candidate status realistic”, is noted in the statement. Read more…  Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Civil Society Organizations call on the president to veto damaging amendments to wiretap legislation. “On 7 June 2022, the Parliament of Georgia voted for legislative amendments that notably lower the standard of human rights protection in the process of covert investigative actions. The adopted bill falls well short of international norms of human rights protection and the practice of European Court of Human Rights. The adopted bill renders those positive legislative changes useless, which were implemented in 2014 with the active involvement of civil society and experts from the Council of Europe. Considering all the above said, we urge the President of Georgia to exercise the power granted to her under the Constitution, to veto the legislative amendments and to send them back to the Parliament with reasoned objections”. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

US Department of State published 2021 report of religious freedom. See more…

Imereti. Organized by Local Democracy Agency Georgia (LDA Georgia), Mr. Beso Sulaberidze, representative of the Center for Training and Consultancy (CTC), conducted a two-day training  on strategy formulation and action plan development for newly established organizations. The training was conducted  within the framework of the project “Civil Society Initiative,” with the support of the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Imereti. Organized by Imereti Regional HUB – Local Democracy Agency Georgia (LDA Georgia) and Education Development and Employment Center (EDEC), Akaki Tsereteli State University hosted a Civil Society Regional Forum in Kutaisi. The main purpose of the forum was to promote a culture of volunteerism, to attract potential donors and to strengthen civil society in the Imereti region. The forum was attended by local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students, donors, representatives of self-governments and media outlets. The forum was organised within the framework of the project "Civil Society STAR Initiative: CSO's as Sustainable, Transparent, and Accountable and Resilient Development Actors in Georgia", supported by the European Union (EU) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network