Tbilisi. On October 16, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, the Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, and the Administration of the State Minister of Georgia for Diaspora Affairs have organized a discussion - "Diaspora and the State: Prospects of Cooperation and Mutual Support". Results of the study - "Diaspora and the State: Experience of Ireland, Italy and Slovenia" - were presented at the meeting. In addition, participants have discussed implemented and planned initiatives in Georgia with respect to relations with the diaspora. At the end of the discussion the Administration of the State Minister of Georgia for Diaspora Affairs has announced the work that won the diaspora video contest "Diaspora - Bridge to Georgia". Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained from the Sachkhere, Kharagauli, Terjola and Tkibuli Municipal Boards and Municipal Councils. The organization has posted on Opendata.ge the information on bonuses, representative expenses and other documents. Information about Sachkhere Municipal Board and Sachkhere Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Kharagauli  Municipal Board and Kharagauli Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Terjola Municipal Board and Terjola Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Tkibuli Municipal Board and Tkibuli Municipal Council (geo)... Source: opendata.ge

Adjara. CSO "ISFED" has organized a discussion on October 15 in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center concerning the powers of the President and the Prime Minister under the Constitution, and the procedures for dismissing the Adjara Government and the Government Chair. CSOs operating in the region, students and representatives of the election administration have participated in the discussion. Meeting participants have analyzed current situation in Georgia.

Tbilisi. The Public Defender’s Office of Georgia launched examination of an incident that occurred in St. Barbare Church in Tbilisi. "...On October 14, 2014, the media sources disseminated information with regards to robbery of the church and damage inflicted on holy relics in the church. ...Later on the public Defender of Georgia will inform on the results of the examination of the above issue". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The study - "Media Ethics Issues in Armenia: Practice and Challenges" was released. Representative of the Media Development Foundation has presented the study on October 4 at the international conference held in the Ilia State University. It was carried out as part of the project "On Both Sides of the Border: Setting up the Network of Georgiana and Armenian Experts". The project run for seven months in 2014 and was funded by the project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States "Black Sea Foundation for Regional Cooperation", implemented jointly by the CSO "BTKK - Policy Research Group" (Tbilisi, Georgia) and the "Armenian Transatlantic Initiatives Center" (Yerevan, Armenia). For the full text (geo) Source: media.ge

Samegrelo. Information meeting was organized on October 14 at the initiative of members of the youth center "Ortus" of CSO "Atinati", aimed at informing youngsters about the quiz game – "Ethnic Groups and Religions in Georgia" – organized by the Tolerance Center functioning with the Public Defender. Further, web page - www.tolerantoba.ge - was also presented as the meeting. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Blinds' Union has celebrated the International White Cane Day on October 15 with a peaceful event, at which the paintings and handmade items of the blind where exhibited and the blind musicians have participated. "The event aims to remind the public that persons with disabilities are also members of the society, that they need adapted environment in order to lead full and independent life", says the Union's page in the social network. Source: page of the Georgian Blinds' Union in the social network.

Tbilisi. At the initiative of the Heinrich Boll Foundation, a public discussion was organized on October 9: "Who the City Belongs to: Self-Government and Urban Policy".Those who were unable to attend the discussion can access a video recording of the discussion on the Foundation's YouTube channel. Source: the Foundation's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has examined the rights of residents of village Vedzatkhevi in the Dusheti District. "Geologic processes became active in the territory adjacent to village Vedzatkhevi since 2005, following which the houses became unfit for living purposes. The village is located in the dangerous landslide zone, thus causing a permanent threat for people living there. Part of residents has already left the village owing to these reasons. At this point there are up to ten households on spot permanently, who have no opportunity to find alternative residence and therefore are forced to remain in the village...", says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained from the Samtredia, Zestafoni, Chiatura and Tskaltubo Municipal Boards and Municipal Councils. The organization has posted on Opendata.ge the information on bonuses, representative expenses and other documents. Information about Samtredia Municipal Board and Samtredia  Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Zestafoni Municipal Board and Zestafoni  Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Chiatura Municipal Board and Chiatura  Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Tskaltubo Municipal Board and Tskaltubo Municipal Council (geo)... Source: opendata.ge

Kakheti. CSO "Citizen" has presented two new projects: "Students for Self-Government" and the "Civil Education Olympiad" in the Telavi State University.Student teams (students of Bachelor's or Master's degree programs) are eligible to participate in the project "Students for Self-Government", while the second project - "Civil Education Olympiad" is designed for schoolchildren. For the full information please visit organization's web page at: www.mokalake.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released audio podcast of parliamentary news. Topics of the October 13 edition are: examination of the draft 2015 state budget and evaluation of the organization's analyst Mikheil Kukava; discussion over the Supreme Court judge nominees submitted by the President of Georgia; statutory definition of a single mother's status; draft Law of Georgia "on the Higher Education". The podcast. Source: www.transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On October 10 the Parliament has started examining amendments to the Law on the State Audit Office and the Regulations of the Parliament."Transparency International – Georgia" welcomes a political will of the Parliament of Georgia to reinforce the independence of the country's supreme audit authority. "We believe it is equally important that the Law of Georgia on the State Audit Office details the definition of financial audit pursuant to international audit standards, in order to set frameworks that financial audit should not go beyond. This will facilitate the Parliamentary Commission in carrying out a financial audit of the State Audit Office in line with international standards", says the organization's web page in the social network. For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained from the Vani, Bagdati and Khoni Municipal Boards and Municipal Councils, also from Kutaisi City Hall and Kutaisi City Council. The organization has posted on Opendata.ge the information on bonuses, representative expenses and other documents. Information about Vani Municipal Board and Vani Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Bagdati Municipal Board and Bagdati Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Khoni Municipal Board and Khoni Municipal Council (geo)... Information about Kutaisi City hall and Kutaisi City Council (geo)... Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Transparency International – Georgian, Human Rights Center, Human Rights Institute, Article 42 of the Constitution and Center for Human Rights Education and Monitoring released a statement. Organizations address to President of Georgia, Prime Minister of Georgia and Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia. "we apply to you over the violation of rights of a citizen of Georgia, Saikhan Muzaev. The Ministry of Interior Affairs has prohibited him from leaving the country without providing any substantiation, and is restricting his freedom of movement guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia". For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Media Development Fund (MDF) has released another, weekly newsletter "No to Phobia", which covers the developments occurred on September 15-21. Electronic version of newsletter. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Tbilisi City Hall, school-workshop "Tempera" and "Tiflis Hamqari" launch the contest "Which monument would I like in my city?". A new application was created especially for this in the social network - "The Monument I'd Like".Schoolchildren of primary classes, who should sculpt a statue from play dough, take its picture, and post it on the relevant page in the social network, are eligible to participate in the contest. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released a statement in the social network. "The organization welcomes the Government's decision to invalidate N40 Resolution until the case is examined by the Constitutional Court, which means that from now on legal obstacles on the Georgian carrier market will be removed, the market will be open, and not only the "Georgian Post", but other carrier companies will also be able to function in full", says the statement in the social network. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Radarami" has presented the translation of Kwame Anthony Appiah's "The Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen". The organization has published Georgian translation in September and organized presentations in Ozurgeti, Batumi and mountainous Adjara. Editor Shota Khinchagashvili has presented the book. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On October 11, Institute for Development Freedom of Information (IDFI) and the Ministry of Justice of Georgia conducted the workshop on OGP related issues with Tbilisi-based media-society. The chairmen of IDFI-Levan Avalishvili and the national coordinator of OGP Georgia – Ketevan Tsanava spoke about past and future activities in accordance with the OGP action plan. For the full text Source: ogpgeoblog.wordpress.com

Adjara. The Civil Society Institute and the Batumi City Hall have jointly organized a public discussion of the Batumi City Hall's priorities for 2015-2018 in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on October 8-10. Batumi City Hall's Healthcare and Social Welfare Service, as well as the Education, Culture, Tourism and Sports Service and the Infrastructure and Infrastructure Development Service have informed interested persons about planned programs and needs to implement them. Further, they have heard the population's opinions and recommendations on all programs.After the public meetings the Civil Advisors' Council will develop recommendations on raised problems and submit them to relevant Service prior to approval of the programs.

Tbilisi. The Union of Georgian Armenians has organized on October 11 a charity exhibition-sale of works by members of CSO "Anika" - "Let's Hold Our Hands Together". Paintings and the felt and enamel works by members of "Anika" were presented at the exhibition