Tbilisi. Open Society Georgia Foundation has prepared the study that highlights advantages and disadvantages of Georgia's accession to the European Energy Community and assesses possible risks and threats that may be associated with postponing the process of accession. The paper intends to present civil society's vision and standpoint regarding the on-going process. The policy paper is targeting  policy makers and the general public. Analysis of Georgia's accession to the European Energy Community Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released information on the organization's successful cases administered in January. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. "Coalition for Equality" offers legal aid to any interested party who thinks is a victim of discrimination. "Qualified lawyers will provide you with free legal aid, draw up legal documents and defend your interests in courts and with the Public Defender of Georgia", the released statement says. "Coalition for Equality" unites CSOs: "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center", "Identoba", Article 42 of the Constitution", "Safari" and the "Georgian Young Lawyers' Association". "Coalition for Equality" is set up with support of the "Georgian Young Lawyers' Association". Hotline: 568 321 22. Source: the "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center".

Tbilisi. On February 5, 2015, the Council of the Ethnic Minorities of the Public Defender held a meeting on "Situation of preservation and teaching of mother tongues of small-number ethnic minorities of Georgia”. The meeting was attended by representatives of government bodies, the Council of Ethnic Minorities of the Public Defender of Georgia and non-governmental organizations. For the full  text Source: ombudsman.ge  

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" has released a statement. "The organization will file a lawsuit against the company "Kaztransgaz-Tbilisi" in the Tbilisi City Court and challenge the company's decision to increase a natural gas tariff for business customers since 1 March 2015", the statement says. For the full text: Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has released a statement. The organization "welcomes the publicizing of Regulations of the MoI Anti-Corruption Agency. However, under the 3 February 2015 Order of the Minister of Interior, instead of declassifying the old Regulations, the Minister has approved Anti-Corruption Agency's new Regulations. We are still not familiar with the contents of the previous Regulations or reasons for classifying it. Further, the regulations of several important departments of the Ministry of Interior are still a secret, including the General Inspection, Criminal Police Department, State Security Agency, etc. In addition, in recent months EMC is pursuing legal procedures for requesting the publicizing of the Regulations of MoI's General Inspection", the released statement says. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Members of the Council of Religions of the Public Defender released a statement. "We express our position with regards to a draft law that was initiated by the Government of Georgia and which declares calls aimed at stirring up enmity as a criminally punishable act. we, members of the Council of Religions, express our wish to hold a large-scale debate on such drat law and its appropriateness and all related possible risks  to be thoroughly and deeply analyzed". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. A new space has emerged in Tbilisi, where citizens exchange things among each other. "Closet - Give and Receive" is the name of the place located at 22 Griboedov Street, on the facade of the Academy of Arts.The closet was set up through joint efforts of philosopher Levan Ghambashidze and the education researcher Simon Janashia. Any citizen can take any item from home, which s/he does not use or need any more, and put it in the closet. In exchange, s/he can take other item placed in the closet.This movement aims to create a comfortable space for exchange of items in the city. For the full text. Source: Netgazeti.

Tbilisi. On January 30, 2015, the Public Defender held a public debate on the topic: "Ill-treatment in penitentiary establishments – how adequate is the state response?” The debate was moderated by representative of the international organization Human Rights Watch in Georgia Giorgi Gogia. Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Since its foundation, CSO "Article 42 of the Constitution" renders free legal aid to the socially unprotected population. Lawyers provide individual, telephone and online consultations to citizens in all areas of the law. Legal consultations are delivered from Tuesday through Thursday, from 11:00 until 18:00. Address: 11aKantaria Str. For the full text (geo). Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Kakheti. The Kakheti Bureau of the NATO and EU Information Center has organized an information type of meeting in village Tsinandali of the Telavi Municipality. According to the representative of the Kakheti Bureau of the NATO and EU Information Center, Erekle Rosebishvili, meeting participants have discussed Georgia's foreign policy priorities, integration of Georgia into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures, and its significance. Meeting participants were provided with the latest literature on NATO and the EU.

Tbilisi. From 28 January 2015, CSO "Young Barristers" has moved a cabinet-type governance. Under the organization's new charter, activities have shifted to a new stage of internal development. Management level has changed. Instead of exclusive governance by the Founding Board, the organization will be led by the head elected for two years. For the full text. Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia and LEA International Foundation have organized the Holocaust Memorial Day event on January 27, attended by the diplomatic corps, representatives of state agencies, international organizations and CSOs, and members of the Religious and National Minority Councils functioning with the Public Defender. For the full text. Source: tolerantoba.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has published the publication of constitutionalist Zurab Jibghashvili: "Parliament's controlling powers in the budgetary sector". "In the constitutional exercise of principle of separation of powers, to determine the nature of relations between the executive authorities and the Parliament, delimitation of powers in the budgetary sector is of huge importance. A full budgetary cycle includes submission of the draft state budget, its adoption, submission of report on the progress of budget performance, and submission and adoption of a final report on the budget performance. In fact, this process is unfolding throughout entire budgetary year and maintains continuity. Therefore, the state budget is a nerve knot beating the whole year. Yet, at several stages, this harmony may be disrupted by its naturally accompanying issue – an intention to declare non-confidence to the Government ...", the publication says. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. On January 27, 2015, the Public Defender of Georgia addressed the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia with a proposal to "immediately start and conduct an investigation on the basis information provided by convict L. Sh., also to take every necessary measure to ensure safety of the convict". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The "School of Liberalism" has hosted a meeting with Gela Charkviani on January 20. The School offers a video recording of the meeting for those who were unable to attend. Meeting with Gela Charkviani (geo) Source: the School's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association released a statement. "On January 20, 2015, father of Zurab Vazagashvili – Yuri Vazagashvili, died following the explosion at his son’s grave. The case is launched on the deliberate murder.  Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association is deeply concerned and expresses its distress on the issue; GYLA calls upon the Government of Georgia to ensure fast, comprehensive and impartial investigation on the fact. GYLA further calls upon the Government to ensure effectiveness of investigation renewed in 2012, on the case of death of Zurab Vazagashvili, resulting from the special operation, conducted at Kortebi on May 2, 2006, as well as to ensure that the guilty are revealed and brought under the responsibility in a timely manner". For the full text Source: gyla.ge  

Tbilisi. Young Barristers have released a statement over the death of Yuri Vazagashvili. "We believe the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia must investigate the criminal case through expedited procedures and given the high public interest, inform general public about the stages of investigation", the organization's web page says. For the full text. Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. The "Georgian Young Constitutionalists' Association" has presented the last annual report. Throughout the year the organization has implemented four education projects across Georgia. At the event guests were briefed about the 2015 priorities and planned projects. Representatives of partner donor organizations, non-governmental sector, beneficiaries of implemented projects and international organizations accredited in Georgia have attended the round table. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has appealed to the Ministry of Interior on January 20. As the organization's web page notes, the Center "demands reaction to gross violations of requirements of the Law on the Police by the high police officials in connection with the street artists' manifest case". The case concerns the "legality of summoning and interviewing" painters Mariam Natroshvili and Gvantsa Jishkariani in the Old Tbilisi Police Station on January 8, based on the application of the Patriarchate. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks" has made its 2014 report available to media.At the presentation, Chairman of the organization's Board has reviewed projects and key campaigns implemented during the year. Giorgi Kepuladze has also discussed problems prevailing in the banking-financial sector. The report. Source: sab.ge

Kakheti. As part of the project "State - 3.0: New Wave of Reforms", the Innovations and Development Foundation has held a meeting today in Telavi, attended by the students of the State University and professional educational institution, as well as CSO representatives.The meeting aimed to set up partnership mechanisms through the youth participation, which will focus on innovative solution of concrete problems and facilitate the formation of creative groups. According to the Project Coordinator of Innovations and Development Foundation, Paata Manjgaladze, new and strong reforms are required in response to public challenges, which will provide new opportunities to each member of the society as well as general public by introducing innovative approaches and taking into account the new trends