Shida Kartli.  Representatives of the United States Agency for International Development have visited on October 1 the Gori Youth Center functioning with the "Center for Welfare and Development". They have met with the local schoolchildren and students. Meeting participants have discussed problems that the youth face and ways of overcoming them. Youngsters have shared with the guests experience and examples of successful partnership between students and their senior colleagues. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The "Liberal" has organized a discussion on September 30 in "Frontline Georgia" on "Should subject of religion be taught in school?". Natia Jokhadze (Head of the National Curriculum Department), Tamta Mikeladze (Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center), and Zurab Varazi (Head of the Social Welfare Department of the Patriarchate of Georgia) have participated in the discussion, which was attended also by the Head of the Legal Support Unit of the Agency of Religions Archil Metreveli.Public discussions are organized with financial support of the US Embassy. "Liberal" offers a video recording of the discussion for those who were unable to attend. Source: liberali.ge

The Civil Society Institute has ended the regional tour on October 2 in Telavi. The Institute's representatives have organized information meetings in 7 cities, at which they have informed CSO representatives, students and interested persons about the new Georgian portal for distance learning - E-learning.ge. The attendees were presented also with a book published by the Civil Society Institute - "Civil Society - social and political essays".

Tbilisi. Union "Anika" has opened the youth club "Anika Room" on September 30. The integrated youth club aims to secure dignified life in the society for youngsters with disabilities and their other peers. The club already hosted the exhibition of works by young painters. The audience had the opportunity to get familiar with and purchase T-shirts, fairy tales, books and other items with paintings and drawings by the beneficiaries of "Anika". Representatives of the diplomatic corps, the authorities, as well as the organization's partner CSOs have attended the opening of the club. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. CSO "Tiflis Hamqar" has released a statement in the social network. "On October 1, another meeting was organized by the Tbilisi Development Fund in the Cultural Heritage Agency over the Gudiashvili Square.It was unexpected that at the meeting they have proposed to examine non-professional designs produced by two architects (Manuchar Makhatadze, Gogi Sulaberidze), which are rejected by "Tiflis Hamqar" and part of the society since 2007.Given the above-mentioned, "Tiflis Hamqar" decided to leave the current format of negotiations and demands the fulfillment of terms of memorandum executed between our organization and Davit Narmania.Should the Gudiashvili-related process still develop in a wrong direction, "Tiflis Hamqar" will renew the movement to protect Gudiashvili Square", says the social network. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Public Defender released a statement. "The Public Defender denounces all kind of violence, including physical retribution against journalist, Zaza Davitaia, as well as physical confrontation between "Free Zone” and Free Generation”. He believes that every such fact negatively affect development of democratic processes. The Public Defender expresses hope that the above-mentioned confrontation has been exhausted and no violent development will be followed". For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Society and Banks" has opened the Economic Media School for the second class of journalists.The project is implemented together with international organization "Junior Achievement". The Media School aims to raise journalists' financial education. Second class of the School includes 20 journalists representing 19 currently operating media outlets in Georgia. Journalists will learn the foundations of economy through a special course and textbooks.Trainings will be delivered by the trainers of "Junior Achievement" and the invited lecturers. Training course lasts for 3 months. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On October 1 is the World day of elderly. This day is marked in Georgia since 2003. On October 1, 2014, the Public Defender of Georgia met with representatives of Georgia’s Pensioners’ Union at the National Parliamentary Library. He personally listened to them about their problems and their individual rights and violations. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Under the Media Freedom Index Georgia remains as the leader state among the Eastern Partnership countries during the first half of 2014. Moldova is second and Ukraine is third. The Index is computed as part of the project "Studying the Degree of Media Freedom in the Eastern Partnership States”. The EU-funded project is implemented by "Internews Ukraine” (Ukraine), with participation of the Yerevan Press Club (Armenia), the Journalists’ Union (Azerbaijan), Association "Green Wave” (Georgia), Center of Independent Journalism (Moldova) and the Association of Journalists of Belarus (Belarus). For the full text (geo) Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia released a blog-post - "Patriarchate’s radio station operating beyond the law". Organization periodically studies the ownership and activities of Georgian media outlets. "Georgia has more than 60 broadcasters that operate on the bases of licenses or/and authorization awarded by Georgian National Communication Commission, a main regulator of telecommunications sector in Georgia which grants the right to use radio frequency spectrum through a competition. According to the law the Commission also monitors whether a broadcaster violates license terms; it is entitled to modify, halt, update or abolish the licenses. ...The Patriarchy owns radio "Iveria”. According to the National Communication Commission "Iveria” broadcasts in Tbilisi and in couple of other cities and is not registered in the list of broadcasting license holders, which means that Patriarchy operates radio "Iveria” without the license. ...Even though the regulator has been aware of unlicensed broadcasting by Patriarchate’s radio "Iveria” for several years, the Commission has not reacted on the violation of the law", says the blog post. For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The "Georgian Young Constitutionalists’ Association” proposes the initiative to set a minimum wage in the Labor Code. The Association believes "it is necessary to create certain guarantees for the employees at legislative level, so that they receive adequate and fair remuneration for their subsistence, and at the same time not to violate balance between the interests of an employee and an employer”. For the full text. (geo) Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Shida Kartli. Charity Humanitarian Center "Apkhazeti” has won the contest announced by the Ministry of Justice. Projects aim to assist former inmates and relate to two areas – support of traineeships and facilitation of starting up a small business. The project is aimed at assisting former inmates and supporting resocialization. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The "Georgian Young Constitutionalists’ Association” has evaluated a 1-year period of the country’s transition to the parliamentary governance model. "Despite positive aspects, an unjustifiably complicated procedure of announcing the non-confidence vote by the Parliament to the Government still remains as a negative feature of current state governance model. In fact, this issue has not become a concern yet, but throughout the ongoing constitutional reform process it is crucial that reasonably balancing mechanisms of relations between the Government and the Parliament are elaborated”, says the organization’s page. For the full text (geo) Source: gyca.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Center demands from the Prosecutor’s Office to interrogate inmate on the cases of the Lapankuri special operation and death of Zurab Zhvania. "The Human Rights Center addresses the Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia to interrogate Teimuraz Gvaradze in presence of the attorney, verify facts and circumstances that the inmate refers to, and to ensure measures of protection for him as the witness facing danger, as well as to react adequately to facts of torture and inhuman treatment described by him”. For the full text (geo) Source: www.humanrights.ge

Tbilisi. NGOs urge the Parliament of Georgia and the Constitution Commission to start immediate discussions on the election reform. "In view of the impending parliamentary elections, we believe that the work on election reform should commence in a timely manner to guarantee fair and competitive election environment". For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information published a report - "Access to Public Information in LEPLs and State Sub-Agencies in Georgia - Report of 2013-2014". "At this stage we present the report on the Access to Public Information in legal entities of public law, state sub-agencies and other public entities (80 public entities in all) for the period of October 2013 – July 2014.During the period of October 2013 – July 2014 IDFI has referred to 61 LEPLs and state sub-agencies, with 1009 FOI requests". For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Kakheti. The mission of the International Organization for Migration has opened the Mobility Center in Telavi on September 30. As part of the project for empowering the Government of Georgia in the migration sector, the Center aims to support newly returned migrants to Georgia requiring assistance.

Kakheti. As part of the European Neighborhood Program for Agriculture and Rural Development in Georgia (ENPARD), representatives of the Agency for the Development of Agricultural Cooperatives have met with local farmers in Kvareli, village Mtisdziri in order to get familiar with the ongoing process of agricultural cooperation. The meeting was attended by representatives of local authorities and organization implementing this program of the EU, Mercy Corps, who have informed local farmers about the grant program – "Enhancing Farming Cooperatives in the Rural Municipalities of Georgia”.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia published a report - "European best practices on government telecommunications surveillance". "This report provides an overview of some of the legal powers that various European government agencies have in order to request the assistance of telecommunication companies with conducting real-time interception and the disclosure of data about their customers". For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) has held a summary meeting of the project "Enhancing the Capabilities of Women candidates and Elected Officials in Georgia for the 2014 Local Self-Government Elections" on September 30. At the meeting, the guide on women's political engagement and the documentary produced as part of the project were presented.The guide – "Women and Political Representation" – aims to assist current and future women candidates in effectively using the mandates as members of the local governments. The guide ensures women's effective participation in politics and protection of their own rights. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Shida Kartli. On September 26, 2014, the Public Defender of Georgia held another round of public debate - "Human Rights in Conflict Regions: role and responsibility of the authorities”. The debate was moderated by psychologist Zhana Javakhishvili, who briefly reviewed problems of residents of adjacent to the conflict regions areas. At the debate speeches were made by State Minister of Georgia for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili and Director of the Information-Analytical Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia Gocha Ratiani. As the Public Defender stated, debates enable the public, representatives of government structures and non-governmental organizations to discuss problems of the residents. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center has submitted an administrative claim in respect of the decision of the Internal Audit Department of the Ministry of Education and Science. "By this decision, the Department has failed to establish the participation of the School #2 administration and teachers in acts driven by religious hatred against the Christian organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Terjola in the beginning of June 2014, as well as their control/organization of the schoolchildren's behavior at the rally. ... Given the scale of problem of religious indoctrination and intolerance within the education system, we hope the Ministry of Education and Science will lawfully and effectively react to this case and ensure taking adequate preventive measures, including special measures on tolerance and prohibition of discrimination in the Terjola School #2", says the organization's web page. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge