Imereti. On February6, as part of the project – "Active Civic Club a Prerequisite of Democratic Society", the posters and flyers were prepared in the school of Kveda Gora of the Vani Municipality. Prepared materials reflected the rights and duties of self-governments. The schoolchildren have distributed the flyers and posters to the pupils and the school staff, as well as the community residents. The activity was implemented as part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Small Grants competition. Source: kedec.ge

Guria. The Lanchkhuti Municipality Sakrebulo has elected the new Chair. 21 deputies have voted for one nominated candidate Amiran Gigineishvili. For last 12 years Amiran Gigineishvili was the Executive Director of NGO "Lanchkhuti Information Center”.

Kakheti. The group working on the regional development strategy (2012-2017) has renewed its activities. The Telavi Civic Engagement Center has hosted the meeting organized by the Civil Society Research and Development Center.According to the Coordinator of the Kakheti Regional Development Project Liza Sopromadze, the project aims to govern Kakheti effectively and formulate the development strategy:"Working group has searched for the information and processed it. Afterwards the project was temporarily suspended and now we continue working again.”The group must finish working by March 15.

Tbilisi. The Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development has posted the video on its web page, in which the civil society representatives express their own opinions on the importance of decentralization. The video was produced as part of the project "Civil Society for Development: Decentralization and Participation in Georgia”. Source: participate.ge

Imereti.The staff optimization issues of the Kutaisi self-government were discussed on January 25 in the Civic Engagement Center.Appointment-promotion of employees in the city's self-government, increase in the number of personnel, setting up new offices - this is an incomplete list of issues voiced against the local self-government several weeks ago. These were the very issues discussed in the Civic Engagement Center by the self-government representatives and the NGO coalition members. At this point there are 7 organizations affiliated in the coalition and their objective is to diffuse the tense environment in the local self-government and monitor the self-government activities. In the opinion of NGO sector representatives, the self-government is obligated to treat accusations against it with much more responsibility. "Our today's meeting proves once again that the Kutaisi self-government is incapable of making concrete decisions in respect of these problems", - said the Director of the "League for Protection of Mothers and Children", Manana Managadze.

Guria. A web page was developed as part of the joint project of the organizations Association of Mediators of Guria and Women for Regional Development – "Message to Self-Government". The project aims to provide advocacy to the population of the Ozurgeti Municipality and to involve them in the process of identification and solution of problems through partnership with the local self-government. Project authors urge the civil society to be active – to take photos in case of discovery of problems and post them on the web. Informal network that was set up within the framework of this project will take care of solving and advocating these problems. Interested persons can also be involved in the work of the network. The project is being implemented with the financial support of the Czech not-for-profit organization "People In Need" (PIN) and the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Source:the organization's page in the social network.    

Tbilisi. The Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development has produced video lectures. One of the last video lectures concerns the fiscal and administrative aspects of decentralization, where the key principles of the issue, different forms and the link between them are briefly explained.In addition, the videos on the following issues are also available: risks associated with decentralization, citizen co-participation and civic participation, formation and mechanisms of citizen co-participation, logical framework analysis, an analysis of value and effectiveness of costs.Video lectures were produced as part of the project "Civil Society for Development: Decentralization and Participation in Georgia". Video lecture – Administrative and Fiscal Decentralization. Source:participate.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. As part of the project "Transparent Self-Government", the online-conference of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality GamgebeliBesikKhitarishvili with the population was held on January 18 on the official Facebook page of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality. Throughout the conference, during one hour citizens could ask questions of concern to them and receive competent answers directly from the Municipality Gamgebeli. The project "Transparent Self-Government" is implemented by the NGO "Union of Democrat Meskhetians". It aims to facilitate the cooperation between the self-government representatives and the population.

Adjara. On January 17, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association delivered a lecture in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on the "Territorial-administrative arrangement of Georgia”. In addition, the issues related to the autonomies and self-governments under the legislation of Georgia were also discussed at the meeting. The speakers, Sulkhan Palavandishvili and Akaki Chagreishvili have discussed with the audience the issue of the Adjara Autonomous Republic and the occupied territories of Abkhazia in the context of integrity of Georgia. Local CSO and media representatives, as well as students have continued the lecture in the discussion regime.

Samegrelo. Zugdidi-based "Initiative Group for Local Self-Government Monitoring" has presented on January 10 the By-Laws of the Commission for Competition-Attestation and proposed it to the local self-government as recommendation.During the presentation of By-Laws, which took place in the Zugdidi Civic Engagement Center and which was attended by the representatives of the Gamgeoba, Sakrebulo, political parties and NGOs, one of the members of the Initiative Group Davit Logua has stated that pursuant to the By-Laws, a public servant may also become a member of the Commission for Competition-Attestation. "However, as for the Chair of the Commission, s/he is appointed by the Municipality Sakrebulo. By-Laws do not provide for the number of Commission members, which is still a subject of further discussions."Acting Deputy of the Zugdidi Municipality GamgebeliGurgenSartania and the Sakrebulo member NugzarSaria have shared the key principles of By-Laws. According to them, in case the Competition Commission is set up, there will be less questions and concerns about the changes in the personnel of local authorities.The Initiative Group for Local Self-Government Monitoring was established in the Zugdidi Municipality on 24 December 2012 to ensure the publicity and transparency of election and appointment of officials, as well as to observe the activities of the self-government authorities.

Shida Kartli. The memorandum was executed between the society "Biliki" (path) and the Gori Municipality as part of the "Civic Education and Teacher Training Program". According to "Biliki's" representative, this cooperation will promote raising the civic knowledge among the youth in Shida Kartli, and enhance their activities and participation in the process of building the democratic society. Representatives of the Gori Municipality Sakrebulo, Press Office, local media and NGO sector, the directors of the Program's partner schools, and civic education teachers and schoolchildren have attended the meeting. Source:civic.ge

Tbilisi. CSOs have released the statement on December 28 concerning the launch of decentralization reform and the current situation in the self-government authorities. "Formation of the democratic and legal state and the free society is impossible without the real self-government”, says the statement. In addition, the statement stresses the gaps persisting in the self-governments for years. CSOs point at urgent and concrete measures to be carried before the 2014 self-government elections. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Analytical Center for Inter-Ethnic Cooperation and Consultations launches a new project "Ethnic Minority Communities and the Georgian Media: Together towards Tolerance”. The project aims to enhance the community organizations of the minorities and protect their rights. Representatives of up to 20 community organizations and up to 20 persons employed in the media sector will participate in the project during 5 months. The project is funded as part of the grant competition "Advancing National Integration (ANI) announced by the United Nations Association of Georgia (UNAG) and the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation. For the full text (Geo) Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Imereti. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has held the summary presentation of the project "Active Society - Warrant of Democracy" in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center on December 26. Main objective of the project was to promote effective self-government through mutual cooperation between the citizens and the local self-government authorities. It was implemented in 11 municipalities of 2 regions – Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and RachaLechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti. Representatives of the public sector, media and local self-government authorities have attended the presentation of results by the organization. Source: ISFED

Guria. On December 25, the Civic Engagement Center and the NGO "Women for Regional Development" have organized a meeting with the community initiative groups concerning the community organizations support program. Leaders of the community initiative groups from various villages of the Ozurgeti Municipality (Dvabzu, Shemokmedi, Mtispiri, Mziani, Laituri, Anaseuli, Jumati, Baileti, Tkhinvali, Natanebi, etc.) have attended the meeting. The participants have discussed the issues concerning the possibility of implementing community initiatives in villages and raising the grant funding.

Samegrelo. The "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" has implemented the project "Active Society - Warrant of Democracy" in two regions of Georgia: 11 municipalities of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and RachaLechkhumi-Kvemo Svaneti, which aims to promote effective self-government.The study conducted within the project framework has revealed that the letter requesting public information on amendments to the budget was submitted to the Zugdidi Municipality Gamgeoba and Sakrebulo, which the latter has left without response, while the Gamgeoba responded late, - said the organization's representative in Zugdidi MakaKodua. According to her, the publicity of the Sakrebulo sittings is also a problem. Until now the Sakrebulo fails to provide information on when the Sakrebulo sittings are scheduled.According to the representative of ISFED, a summary press-conference of the project will be held in Kutaisi on December 26, at which active citizens and those self-governments will be named, which have best cooperated with the organization. The project is implemented with financial support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation (OSGF).

Samegrelo.Representatives of various Zugdidi-based NGOs have established on December 24 the initiative group of monitoring over self-government. According to the group members, they aim to ensure the publicity and transparency of election and appointment of officials in the Zugdidi Municipality. To this end, they start monitoring local authorities from today. The group plans to achieve set objectives with the assistance of the Civic Engagement Center.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On December 21, the civic club "Care" of village Varkhani of the Adigeni Municipality has met with the trustee of community of the same village, in the process of implementing a small grant. The meeting was planned as part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program and aimed at informing the trustee about problems identified as a result of population interviews under the project and searching for the ways of their solution.The club members have interviewed 100 households. Supply of drinking water and renovation of internal roads as well as the fence of the village graveyard were identified as the key problems. It was decided that the club members will draft a letter on the problem of drinking water and internal roads, which will be submitted for examination to the Adigeni self-government for further including it in the action plan.The village trustee has noted that he will cooperate with youngsters around the raised problem and they will solve it through joint efforts.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On December 21, representatives of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality Sakrebulo and NGO sector have once again discussed the draft local budget for 2013. Meeting participants have discussed the amendments to the draft and the comments that the Sakrebulo will take into consideration in the future.Chair of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality Sakrebulo Oleg Sandroshvili has explained that the part of comments and recommendations has already been reflected in the draft budget and certain amendments will be made to it in the beginning of next year as well.Local and international NGOs had certain comments with respect to the draft 2013 budget. During the public discussions of the draft budget they have drafted a special appeal and submitted it to the Municipality Sakrebulo.NGOs were involved in the discussions of the budget as part of the project "Transparent Self-Government”, implemented by NGO "Union of Democrat Meskhetians”.

Tbilisi. The "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy" (ISFED) has released the first monitoring report on the development in local self-government authorities after the parliamentary elections of 1 October 2012. The organization has carried out monitoring in 69 municipalities and according to the report, "since the 1 October 2012 elections until today 31 Gamgebelis have left office Georgia-wide. 29 out of them left office based on personal application, while two of them - based on the Sakrebulo's decision. During the same period, 16 Sakrebulo chairs have left office, including 14 by their own decision, and two – by the Sakrebulo's decision." The Report. Source:isfed.ge

Kakheti. The "Community Development Center”, in partnership with the Polish NGO B4, has implemented the project in Kakheti "Business for the Start”.Trainings were delivered to 60 semi-finalist women selected through the contest as part of the project. The project aimed to support women in starting up the small entrepreneurship and in self-employment.Business projects were developed at the final stage of the project. 20 women with the best business projects have received small grants in the amount of 3,000 GEL for starting up their own businesses.Tato Khundadze, project coordinator: "As the majority of the grantee beneficiaries are housewives engaged mainly in the household activities, it was rather difficult for them to work during the period of trainings and consultations. Nevertheless, we can say that the project "Business for the Start” has assisted dozens of ladies in overcoming the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness, caused by many years of "family isolation”.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association once again echoes the information disseminated recently by media outlets on the situation within local self-governments. In relation to this issue GYLA held a press conference on December 20. "Following the 2012 parliamentary elections, certain worries are reported concerning the replacement of leading officials of the self-governments (Sakrebulo, Gamgeoba) in the regions. According to the available information, some changes are happening naturally, however, there are cases when the replacements take place against the background of secret or apparent pressure. In addition, there are cases when the newly appointed officials go beyond their official powers, which will obviously have an adverse effect and tense the existing situation", - says the information posted on GYLA's web page. For the full text. Source:gyla.ge