Kakheti. At the initiative of the Kakheti Civil League, Telavi Civic Engagement Center and the Civil Advisers’ Council, a public hearing over the local self-government activity report for 2013 was organized in Telavi.Representatives of the Municipality Sakrebulo and Gamgeoba have presented the previous year activities to the audience.Journalists, CSO representatives and interested citizens have attended the meeting.

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association; Transparency International – Georgia; International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy; Open Society – Georgia Foundation and Civil Development Agency released a statement. "On May 13, the draft law, initiated and elaborated by the Parliamentarians - Gia Zhorzholiani and Vakhtang Khmaladze, was registered at the bureau session. It is planned to consider the draft law through the accelerated procedures. The draft law invalidates the February-enacted provision in the law on the "Civil Service”, which entailed dismissing public servants after the next local self-government elections. We welcome the initiation of such a draft law and call upon the Members of the Parliament to support it, for avoiding the violation of the labor rights of the public servants following the local self-government elections", says the statement. For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Kakheti.Centre for Soviet Past Studies showed a documentary movie "Telling Stories – Memories of Repressed Women”. The movie is about the generation is gradually disappearing.The actors are the people who themselves experienced repressions.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia released a publication - "Half of the Georgian population remain off the net”. "The internet in Georgia is free of notable government censorship, in a sense that there are no known cases of blocked online content, services or applications. Internet has alsoemerged as a the second most important source of information after TV. But despite such developments, Georgia is still struggling with a low internet penetration. Almost half of the Georgia’s population remains off the net, suggests the late 2013 survey conducted for Transparency International Georgia by Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC)". For the full text  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Since May the association "Child and Family" implements project – "Professional Assistance to Children and Families in Georgia". As part of the project, the Memorandum of Cooperation was executed on May 13 among the Social Service Agency, association "Poland Our Home" and association "Child and Family", which aims to support specialized small family-type homes.Within the project framework, specialized small family-type homes will be provided with methodological support, consultations, psychological assistance, and various training courses will be delivered."Child and Family" implements this project with support of the association "Poland Our Home", as part of the Polish Assistance Program.

Kakheti. A public lecture on "Woman in Christianity: Eve or Mary" was delivered in the Telavi Media Cafe. Students and representatives of public school-based civic clubs and CSOs have attended the meeting.Tata Tsopurashvili, Doctor of Philosophy, trainer: "The lecture is about understanding a woman's role under the Christianity doctrine from the first centuries A.D. until the modern times. What the existing concepts on the social role of a woman were based on what were the reasons of its modification." The meeting was organized by the "Heinrich Boll Foundation".

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia published a video instruction - "How to find company ownership?". "In this video, we show you how to find out who owns a Georgian company. We show how to navigate the website of the National Agency of Public Registry, which contains all publicly available information on the directors and owners of Georgian companies". Video is one of the series of video instructions produced by Transparency International Georgia to introduce useful online resources. Video Instruction Source:the organization's page in the social network

Tbilisi. The US civil society organization FAF (Friendship Ambassadors Foundation) has executed the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation with the Georgian CSOs "Multinational Georgia for Strengthening Democratic Values", the "Georgian Academy of Policy and Diplomacy" and the "Youth Parliament of Georgia".As part of the Memorandum, the US organization FAF grants these Georgian organizations exclusive representative authority within the framework of the project "Youth Assembly in the UN, New York".The project includes attendance at the sessions, round table discussions, workshops in the UN Headquarters in New York, as well as working on the resolution grant project. For the full text. Source: web page of the Youth Parliament in the social network.

Imereti.On May 13th a training "Participation and Monitoring in Self-Government Processes”  was held for the members of Kutaisi Youth Centre. The aim of the training was to inform the youth about self-government’s activities and decision-making process. Another topic was the upcoming elections. The project is supported by UN Association in Georgia and USAID. Source:the organization's page in the social network

Tbilisi.On May 10th a session of the Council of journalists ethics charter was held. For the full text Source: qartia.org.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti.Civil Society Institute initiated in Akhaltsikhe a project "Informed Young Voters”. The projectis for students and aims to make the youth more active and involve them into self-government.Within the framework of the project the youth will create texts and video blogs. Second stage will be about effective initiatives for Akhaltsikhe. Third stage will be the discussion between the candidates and the youth.

Adjara. The Youth Supreme Council has executed the Memorandum of Mutual Cooperation on May 13 with the Adjara Supreme Council. Chairmen of the Councils - Avtandil Beridze and Giga Partenadze have signed the document. Pursuant to the Memorandum, during one year the Youth Supreme Council consisting of 30 members will get familiar with the Adjara Supreme Council's work, attend the sessions and the Bureau sittings, and observe the work of commissions. In addition, the Youth Supreme Council will provide recommendations to the Adjara Supreme Council upon need.

Tbilisi. The Independent Association of Georgian Journalists has released a statement, published by Media.Ge, in which the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists (IAGJ) has urged the Turkish Association of Journalists and the Turkish Newspaper Syndicate to duly react to the visit of delegation of the Turkish Federation of Journalists to Abkhazia. For the full text Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Seminar for journalists on New State Social Rehabilitation and Childcare Program and about the progress achieved in Implementation of the State Program on Children Living or Working on the Streets - May 10-11.The seminar was conducted within the #EU supported project. Source:Let's meet europe

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released another audio podcast of parliamentary news, covering the following topics: information on amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia, draft law initiated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare, legislative proposal of TI on agricultural land. Podcast of parliamentary news (geo) Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The first issue of Economic Policy Research Center’s (EPRC) new periodical Georgia and the Neighbors was presented on May 13th. The first issue of Georgia and the Neighbors is focused on whether the Ukraine Crisis is Looming over Georgia or not. The brief explores bilateral ties between Ukraine and Georgia in the areas of trade, investments and remittances, tourism and energy, and offers the forecast of how these relations may develop given the ongoing turmoil in eastern Ukraine. In-depth analysis of the key developments in Ukraine’s economy such as the devaluation of the national currency, austerity measures and abolishment of the energy and other social subsidies, security of energy supplies and the potential markets for Ukrainian products provide explanation for the 45% decline in Georgia’s exports to Ukraine and almost 50% increase of import from Ukraine in March 2014. The publication Source:eprc.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has published Tamar Iakobidze's study: "Changes to the Cleaning Fee in 2011 and 2013: Reduced Income, Increased Expenses and Return of an Old Problem". The study analyzes the changes to the cleaning tariff, its purpose and the results. The study (geo) Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The coalition "For Independent Life" has organized an informative-educational seminar for the students of the Free University. Topic of the meeting was "The role and initiatives of students for securing equal elections and protecting the rights of persons with disabilities". Electoral role plays were organized at the seminar. The meeting was organized as part of the IFES-funded project and with support of the Central Election Commission. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Kakheti. The Heinrich Boll Foundation continues with a cycle of public lectures in Telavi. A public lecture titled "Who is afraid of a fateful woman" was delivered in the Telavi Media Cafe. TeoKhatiashvili, cinema expert: "A common title of the project is "Who Is Afraid of Feminism in Georgia". Public lectures aim at raising public awareness on the idea of equality. At today's lecture we have reviewed the so-called fateful woman, as a history of a strong archetypal formation, which in the cinema (especially in the Hollywood of classical period) will become one of the most popular faces. In addition, we discussed her features and the phobias concealed in the patriarchal culture that she will reveal. We have discussed these issues at the example of fragments from several movies."

Tbilisi. Non-governmental organization the "Young Barristers” will implement a project "Together for an European choice” for youth representatives of ethnic minorities.The organization will inform the youth of ethnic minorities of Marneuli and Akhaltsikhe municipalities of Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti regions on processes of integration of Georgia in Europe, changes and expectations, as well as will hold public lectures concerning Georgia-Europe relationship and will present institutional stability and advantages of European choice of Georgia through dialogues with civil groups. For the full text Source:barristers.ge

Kakheti. In Telavi Democratic Centre a final conference was held of Akhmeta School of Young Politicians. The aim of the project is to raise awareness about democratic ideals, and more active involvement of ethnic minority youth in the country’s civil and political life.The project is held by "Kakheti Civil League” with the financial help from the Netherlands.The youth plan to implement a number of projects in Akhmeta and Telavi municipalities.

Tbilisi. Organizations Involved in the Campaign "This Affects You Too” released a statement. "We believe that today, as never before, the efforts of all the stakeholders are important to create such a modern system of eavesdropping and surveillance in Georgia, which excludes violating the private life of persons and publication of a private information on the motives of citizen safety", says the statement. For the full text Source:gyla.ge