Tbilisi. "Transparency International Georgia” awarded three journalists for the best investigative articles on the State Procurement topic.The organization held the competition with financial support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. The organization Batumi branch also announced a competition on the same subject. Three journalists of Adjara were awarded for the best journalistic works.  For the full text Source: transparency.ge     

Tbilisi. Organization "Young Lawyers" applies to Georgian National Communications Commission with recommendation and offers to determine Internet service tariff upper limit. "According to the first half of 2014, complaints and discontent with service quality or proposed service were fixed towards Internet service providers. Major part of complaints refers to internet service tariff increase and service quality”, said in the organization web-site. Source: www.barristers.ge

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information broadcast information regarding expenses of vehicles replaced by Ministries in 2013 and their technical maintenance. "In January, 2014, IDFI addressed to all Ministries for all vehicles’ and computer equipment request listwhich, by the active legislation of public procurement, were replaced by one or more vehicles or computer equipment having new, same or better parameters. The request was ignored only by the Ministry of the Internal Affairs. As it turns out by the documents received from other ministries replacement of vehicles took place only in five ministries in 2013”, said in the organization web-site.    For the full text Source: idfi.ge    

Shida Kartli. Charity Humanitarian Centre "Abkhazeti” continues working into civil clubs direction in target schools within frames of the project "Youth Participation and Development”. For this purpose activities were planned to connect rural communities. In particular,mini football tournament was held in order to promote healthy lifestyle; parents of target schoolchildren from eight villages of Gori municipality took part in the tournament. The tournamentwas held with the Olympic rules – winner team continued fighting for the Cup, loser one was released from fighting. On July 21 the final match was held in the village Zerti between local team and team of the village Tkviavi. The winner was revealed by penalty shoots. The cup was given to Zerti team. The project "Youth Participation and Development” has been implemented by Charity Humanitarian Centre Abkhazeti” with support of United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), financed by United States Agency for International Development (USAID).           

Kvemo Kartli. Siqa "Social Media Summer School” started working. On July 22 the second lesson was given. Participants received theoretical and practical knowledge about "Facebook” and "Google” social networks and e-mail. Siqa volunteers from Turkey took part in classes. Summer school lessons will be held every Tuesday and Friday. Source: Organization's page in the social network

Tbilisi. On July 21 Anti-Violence Network of Georgia started project "Gender Consciousness through Informal Learning”.The project aims to promote dialogue between teachers from 6 countries and share their experience. Teachers discuss how to use informal learning method effectively and what strategy should they choose in order to become gender as important trend among young people.The project is implemented with European Union support. Source: Organization's page in the social network   

Tbilisi. On July 22, 2014, Public Defender of Georgia proposed the Parliament of Georgia the amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on "Public Defender of Georgia”. These amendments refer to the right to use the photo and video recording by the National Preventive Mechanism. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Constitutionalists Association issued a statement: "To the Association’s position due to the current edition of the Constitution, the Government has not suspended the authority and, therefore, the statement that the government and the Prime Minister are acting now, is devoid of legal basis… It is noteworthy that the current revision of the Georgian Constitution, regarding the situation, actually binds the President (accordingly, the parliamentary majority) to propose another Prime Minister Candidate except for active Prime Minister. This circumstance makes the crucial distinction of the termination/decline of the authority and the situation with respect”, said in the statement. For the full  text Source: gyca.ge 

Tbilisi. Non-Governmental Organizations released a statement on the Incident at the Armenian Church. During last two days, the group of non-governmental organizations has been examining the incident that took place at the Armenian Church of St. Etchmiadzin in Tbilisi, on 19 July, 2014. "The results of primary analysis of the factual circumstances surrounding the incident demonstrate the presence of ethnic hatred context during the evolution of conflict, which was mostly expressed through verbal abuse on the ground of the ethnic origin. ...We consider, that the practice of not addressing duly the hate crimes, which was lately particularly obvious in respect of the acts of violence against religious minorities, fosters the growth of  attitudes and atmosphere of intolerance and in the future it can lead to the risk of religious and ethnic conflicts". For the full text Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi.Institute for Development of Freedom of Information issued a statement regarding access to information in dismissed ministers’ offices. "We would like to point out that with the leadership of most of the ministers dismissed from the position have undergone significant progress in terms of access to information and transparency… IDFI hopes that new ministers to be appointed as leaders of the mentioned offices will continue the best practice of public access to information and one of the main priorities will be open and transparent governance of their work” said in the organization web-site.  For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Public Defender of Georgia addresses the incident taking place on July 19, nearby the "Surb Echmiadzin” Church in Tbilisi and urges the law enforcement officials to investigate precisely and efficiently the incident to avoid further escalation of the situation. For the full text Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Public Organization "Citizen” issued a statement on July 21. "Citizen” is not going to respond to irresponsible statements and rhetoric of Ex-President and TV channel "Rustavi-2" made on "Rustavi 2” over the last few days”, said in the statement. For the full text Source: media.ge  

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information issued law analysis regarding competition in Public Service. Rule of competition in Public Service has significantly improved since the relevant resolution of Georgian Government came into force on July 20, 2014. As a result there appeared more guarantee to provide a competition with the principles of fairness and impartiality. However, compared with the international practice of law (in the UK and Estonia) number of omissions were observed in the legal regulations”. For the full text Source: idfi.ge  

Tbilisi. School ofLiberalism publicized another program "Libtime”. Ida Bakhturidze, member of the independent group of feminists, is talking on the topic "Violence against Women” together with the program compere. Program   Source: Organization's page in the social network  

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Seminar was held to members of Akhaltsikhe youth centrein a conference hall ofNGO "Union of Democrat Meskhs” within the framework of the project "Popularization of Georgia’s North Atlantic aspiration idea and democratic values among youth of Samtskhe-Javakheti region”.The project has been implemented by "National Youth Movement for Human Rights”. The project has been financed by Children and Youth Development Fund of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

Tbilisi. On July 15-19 musical festival "Kavkaz Jazz” was held organized by NGO "Art Bridge”. Musicians from Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Poland took part in the event. Within festival framework master classes were also held for young performers. Parallel to the event round table series was held where representatives of four countries had talk regarding current situation on regional music market.  "Kavkaz Jazz” has been held since 2010, every year. Now was the fifth anniversary.  Source: Organization's page in the social network     

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) broadcast information obtained from Chkhorotsku, Tsalenjikha, Senaki and Khobi Municipality governments and local councils. The organization publicized information about premiums, audit acts, budget execution reports and other documents in opendata.ge. Information from Chkhorotsku Municipality government and local council Information from Tsalenjikha Municipality government and local council Information from Senaki Municipality government and local council Information from Khobi Municipality government and local council Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. Three non-governmental organizations publish the forth interim report on monitoring the 2014 local government elections. Monitoring was carried out within framework of the project "Professional Media Elections” financed by the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).The last reporting period covers June 15-30 and the entire study period – from April 15 to June 30, 2014. For the full text Source: www.media.ge

Tbilisi. Human Rights Center issues a reference regarding illegal activity restriction of lawyers. "Human Rights centre is alarmed by a violation of confidentiality committed by the administration and employees of Gldani prison #8 department in regards with the correspondence between a lawyer and a defendant as well as other written documentation of lawyer. In Gldani prison #8, the prison administration and its employees often inspect the written correspondence made between the lawyers and the defendants as well as notes of lawyers not only visually, but by its content as well. The inspection takes place while the lawyers go through security control, before meeting the defendants”, said in the statement.  For the full text Source: www.humanrights.ge  

Tbilisi. On July 18 Legal Assistance Foundation of Georgian Young Lawyers Association held a graduation ceremony of academic year 2013-2014. That was the tenth graduation in the history of Foundation.85 students were enrolled in the training courses of Young Lawyers Association in October, 2013; among them 23 students received joint diploma of the foundation and GYLA.Initiated by the foundation and GYLA 1 successful student will take internship program from September in Legal Assistance Centre of GYLA. At the same evening the certificates were awarded to 35 students of Civic Education week school. Lectures and seminars were given to the students on topical questions of practice law and civic education for 6 months. Source: Organization's page in the social network       

Tbilisi. The student movement "Green Fist” issued a demonstration. "In order to ensure the realization of human expression and ideals in such a way that it does not violate other peoples’ rights the natural resources should be taken into account as the main driving source of economic development the role of which is directly connected to human social life. Therefore, regardless of the form of government it is necessary to develop a strategy for sustainable development based on scientific principles. This includes making a decision by integration of social, environmental, cultural, economic and other factors in case of the utilization of natural resources. The youth of Georgia who had lost a few centuries of development and found themselves from the Middle Ages to the modern world in one leap, start to emergence from the beginning and stand at crossroads of the presence or absence”.  For the full text Source: Movement web-site in social network  

Tbilisi. NGO "Training and Research Group”, with financial support from the ‘Women's Fund”, and with cooperation of '”Women's Initiatives Support Group" conducted a survey of teachers' knowledge and attitudes about gender equality.The organization has published articles relating the teachers’ attitudes to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. For the full text Source: sapphodiaries.wordpress.com