Tbilisi. A final event of Public Debates in the Higher Education Sector project was held on February 13, which summarized the results of discussions organized in the universities across Georgia in 2014. This project was implemented since May 2014 by the "International Education Center" Foundation with financial support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. The project aimed to enhance public participation in pending education reforms, facilitate dialogue among academic circles, civil sector and the state, and reinforce horizontal relations among universities. The graduates (fellows) of the "Professionals of Georgia's Education" program jointly funded by the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia, higher education experts, academic and administrative staff of the universities, students, civil society representatives and other interested persons have participated in the discussions. For the full text (geo)... Source: osgf.ge

Non-governmental organization Transparify has released a report, which assesses financial transparency of 169 think tanks operating in 47 countries. Based on the analysis of information on funding released by the think tanks, the organization has drawn up the ranking of degree of transparency on the scale from 0 to 5 points (where "5" means "most transparent"). Eight CSOs were selected for the study from Georgia, including "Transparency International – Georgia", the "Economic Policy Research Center" (EPRC), and "Jumpstart Georgia", ranked with the highest point – 5. Overall, 5 points for transparency were granted to only 31 think tanks out of 169. For the full text (geo)… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" has released a statement on the nomination by the President of Georgia of Nino Gvenetadze for the Supreme Court Chairperson. The organization "views the decision of the President of Georgia to nominate Nino Gvenetadze before the Parliament for the Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia as a step towards formation of a legal state and independence justice". For the full text (geo)... Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has posted on the web page another podcast of parliamentary news. The edition includes the following topics: report of the Chief Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Interior on observance of recommendations by the Public Defender, amendments to the Law "on the Ownership of Agricultural Land", etc. Podcast of parliamentary news (geo)... Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. "Internews-Georgia" has launched a cycle of regional talk-shows "Informed Voter", which aims to inform voters of different ages about their electoral rights and duties, which by itself facilitates increased citizen participation in elections. The project of "Internews-Georgia" provides for the production of television and educational talk-shows in other 7 regional broadcasters. The project "Media and Informed Voter" is funded by the Center of Electoral Systems Development, Reforms and Training. For the full text (geo) Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a statement: "Concerns over the Prosecutor’s office summoning an opposition member of the Supreme Council of Adjara”. "...On February 12, the Prosecutor’s Office summoned Irakli Baramidze (UNM), member of the Supreme Council of Adjara for questioning. UNM’s regional organization has since linked the questioning with ongoing processes in the Supreme Council. ...Starting an investigation on a 4-year-old case against a member of the opposition and hinting to other possible violations during questioning raises questions about political motivations behind the actions of the investigative authorities. Transparency International Georgia strongly believes that all violations of the law must be properly investigated, however, we think that the investigative authorities also have to answer all questions regarding possible intimidation of a member of the opposition by its representatives. For this purpose, it is necessary to immediately start an investigation on possible intimidation, and to make its results available to the public". For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. To reduce and prevent risks on the roads in the Shuakhevi and Khulo Municipalities, a large-scale education project is being launched aimed at raising awareness on the road safety. Trainings in road safety will be delivered by the English organization Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport, Foundation "Partnership for Road Safety", and the company "Adjaristskali Georgia", with participation of representatives of local municipalities, resource centers, and schools.

Tbilisi. Publication "Netgazeti" has interviewed TsomasHammarberg about the civil sector. A while ago he was the EU Special Advisor on Human Rights for the Government of Georgia. "... I think Georgia can be proud of its civil sector, and especially of organizations working on human rights", Hammarberg has stated in an interview. For the full text (geo)... Source: netgazeti.ge

Tbilisi. The EU Delegation to Georgia launches the "EU Film Festival 2015" in Georgia from February20 through March 1. Films will be screened across Georgia in 5 cities: Tbilisi, Gori, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Poti. Detailed schedule of the film festival Source: www.eufilm.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender and the newly established Coalition for Equality have signed the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation for the Elimination of Discrimination. Pursuant to the Memorandum, signatory organizations will jointly attempt to facilitate the enforcement of the Law of Georgia "on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination", empowerment of the Public Defender's role, and the development of judicial practice to secure the protection of rights of discrimination victims. A hotline, which will render free legal aid on discrimination-related issues to citizens, is now put into operation. "Coalition for Equality" was established with support of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation and unites five CSOs. The Coalition aims to facilitate the enforcement of anti-discrimination law and monitor its practical application. Members of the Coalition are: Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center, Safari, Article 42 of the Constitution and Identoba. Source: web page of the "Open Society – Georgia" Foundation in the social network.

Tbilisi. Women's organizations have released a petition in support of women nominees for the Supreme Court Chair, addressing President Giorgi Margvelashvili. "... Under international obligations, the state must secure gender equality in all three branches of power. Currently, there are only 3 women members of the Cabinet of Ministers, while the total number of women MPs in the Parliament constitutes 11%. Given that throughout history a woman has never chaired the Supreme Court, we would like express our support to women nominees once again. We hope the President will assist in making key steps within the judicial system aimed at gender equality, and that we will witness the precedent of appointing a woman as the Chair of the Supreme Court of Georgia", the petition states. For the full text. Source: ginsc.net

Tbilisi. On February 11, 2015, for the purpose of improvement of the Law of Georgia "On the elimination of all forms of discrimination”, the Public Defender addressed the Parliament of Georgia with a proposal to introduce changes into the Law on the Public Defender, the Civil Procedure Code, the Labour Code and the Law on Civil Service. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" and the High Council of Justice of Georgia have executed the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation. Pursuant to the Memorandum, the High Council of Justice and "Transparency International - Georgia" will jointly direct efforts at empowering the capacity and resources of the Council and the common courts of Georgia, reinforcing transparency standards, raising judges' awareness on international judicial practices, as well as facilitating the establishment of professional contacts with foreign colleagues. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Public Defender of Georgia released a statement. "Public Defender Initiates Examination of a Fact of Alleged Discriminatory Treatment of Persons with Disabilities Interested to Attend Paata Burchuladze’s Jubilee Evening. ...through information disseminated in the electronic media, the Public Defender of Georgia became aware that wheelchair users who had been invited to attend the jubilee evening of Paata Burchuladze could not attend the event since their needs were not taken into account... The persons with disabilities were forced to resort to assistance of security personnel and due to this fact they left the place in protest", says the statement. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Non-Governmental Organizations released a statement.  "As it is known to the public, on December 25, 2014, the parliament of Georgia has expressed its support towards creation of the temporary investigative commission under the parliament to examine the events relating to the Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani mine. ...We call upon all of the parliamentary factions to respect the decision of the parliament of Georgia, for the purpose of creation of the above temporary investigative commission, to demonstrate their higher civil and political responsibility and to nominate the candidates for the membership of the temporary investigative commission. ...At the same time, we express our willingness to actively cooperate with the parliament’s temporary investigative commission and provide it with all of the official information available to us, which relates to Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani and which is of utmost importance for making an impartial decision on the issue", says the statement. For the full text  Source: gyla.ge

Adjara. GYLA's Batumi Branch Office has hosted a meeting with CSO representatives, held as part of the project – "Protected Choice – Warrant of Effective Self-Government". The project is implemented by GYLA and the Local Democracy Agency with support of the "Open Society – Georgia" Foundation. The meeting aimed to identify the audience's view on the extent of protection of civil servants within the scope of legal regulations set out in the Local Self-Government Code, and whether it is possible to improve current situation by developing alternative mechanisms. These issues will be reflected in the study, presentations and recommendations for which should be submitted at the second stage of the project.

Imereti. Kutaisi has hosted a discussion on February12 over discrimination related issues, moderated by the Imereti trustee of the Public Defender's Office and attended by members of the Kutaisi Youth Center. The participants have discussed forms of discrimination, issues related to freedom of faith and religion, as well as the current human rights situation. The meeting was held as part of the Advancing National Integration in Georgia project, implemented by the UN Association of Georgia with support of the US Agency for International Development. The Kutaisi Education, Development, and Employment Center is the project's partner in Imereti. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has presented monitoring results of access to public information in 2014 and named the most opened and closed institutions in 2014 in terms of provision of information. IDFI is assessing the degree of the institutions’ transparency since 2010, as part of the project "Public Information Data Base – www.opendata.ge", with support of the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation. In 2014, the Institute has submitted 5466 requests of public information in 308 institutions. From these it has received: 3628 complete responses, 356 incomplete responses, 85 refusals, and 1397 requests were left unanswered. "Remarkably, after the 1 October 2012 parliamentary elections, at the initial stage the 81% indicator of completely provided responses was reduced to 66%, while unanswered requests increased from 11% to 26% and reached the indicator reported prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections”, the web page of the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation states. A certificate for improving access to public information was awarded to the Administration of the Government of Georgia. ... The Penitentiary Department was named as the most closed public institution. For the full text (geo)... Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. Since October 2014, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy is monitoring the process of certification and contests of civil servants, as well as testing and interview stages across Georgia. 73 observers of the organization carry out monitoring based on uniform methodology and questionnaires. In view of monitoring results, on February 12 the organization has released the II Interim Monitoring Report on Certification and Contests of Civil Servants. The report (geo)... Source: isfed.ge

Tbilisi. The 6th General Assembly of the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum was held on February 11. The Platform unites over 200 CSOs working in Georgia. The General Assembly has elected the new Chair of the National Platform, as well as the working group coordinators and co-coordinators. Lasha Tughushi was reelected as the Chairman of the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern European Partnership Civil Society Forum.

Tbilisi. CSO Young Barristers has presented results of the study "The Government of Georgia in the Process of Implementation of the EU Association Agreement”. It examined the progress and performance of obligations under the Association Agreement executed with the EU by the Government’s ministries, as well as events expected as part of the document. For the full text (geo)... Source: barristers.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks” has released a statement on increased refinancing rate. "... As in recent months we are witnessing harsh devaluation of national currency and negative economic processes developing in the country, the issue of increasing the monetary policy rate has been raised. ... In order to stabilize the national currency rate temporarily, we believe that at this stage, increasing the refinancing rate is the most optimal option among the fiscal-crediting policy tools of the National Bank”, the statement says. For the full text (geo)... Source: sab.ge