Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association believes that investigation into the death of Mikautadze should immediately be transferred to investigators of the office of the prosecutor. GYLA believes that the fact that Mikautadze’s case is investigated by the Interior Ministry questions effectiveness and independence of the investigating, which must be immediately addressed. For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Eurasia Partnership Foundation (EPF) initiated a statement of civil society organizations on draft changes to the legislation on food safety regulation, which is currently discussed at the Parliament of Georgia. EPF also requested an official position about the discussed changes from the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia, inquiring specifically about the congruance of changes with the existing European standards and providing EU Delegation’s view about how the proposed changes, if adopted, could impact Georgia’s ongoing EU integration process, including the conclusion of the Agreement on Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. On July 8, 2013, the EU Delegation to Georgia officially responded to EPF, stating that the concerned changes would be against the existing EU regulations in this field and could undermine the ongoing legal approximation process toward EU. For full text Source:epfound.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released the statement about advertising SMS messages. "While this intrusive form of advertising remains largely unregulated in Georgia, most countries in Europe and overseas have already introduced anti-spam legislation that prohibits or at least regulates spamming and direct marketing via telephone, e-mail, SMS or MMS". For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from  the Municipal Boards of Zestaponi and Zugdidi. The information posted on the web page includes the Balance of the Organization,Bonuses of the Public Officials, Bonuses of the Employees,State Procurement, Reports on Release of Public Information, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Dismissed Employees. Information from the Municipal Board of Zestaponi Information from Municipal Board of Zugdidi Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics condemns the incident which took place at the July 8 press conference. Publicist Irakli Kakabadze insulted the Rustavi 2 journalist with calling him "capitalists’ slave.” With the statement released on July 10 the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics responded to the broadcaster’s application to the Charter. According to the application the organizers of the press conference did not give the TV company journalist a possibility to pose a question. Having examined the application submitted by the broadcaster the Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics believes that a proper response should follow after this very case, like any other that involves interference into professional activity of a journalist or insult. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on public officials as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals to abstain from insulting journalists, so that media could fully enjoy its legal right to work. As the same time the Charter requests the organizers to conduct press conferences and meetings in a way that would help journalists carry out their professional activities. Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. On 9 July 2013, GSMEA Tax Committee had an official meeting with Mamuka Baratashvili, the head of Tax Policy Department at the Ministry of Finance. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of Georgian Revenue Service. The agenda of the meeting was new project regarding the writing off of Commodity goods in fast food and communal catering outlets, developed by GSMEA tax committee. As a result of the meeting the attendees agreed that the proposed project will be a subject of further modification and review.Moreover, the committee has set a new priority which involves an extensive research of International and domestic transportation fields as well as conducting new recommendations for the tax administration of the sector. Source:gsmea.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia continues to investigate the cases of state property disposed of through direct sale for a symbolic price between 2007 and 2012 (Who has bought property for GEL 1 in Adjara, Property for GEL 1 in Adjara – part II, Property sold for GEL 1: problematic trends). For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. On July 10, The Economic Policy Research Center published new Policy Brief "Role of Fiscal Policy in Economic Growth", which covers also analysis of 6 month State Budget performance Indicators. Document Source:eprc.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from  the Municipal Boards of Dedoplistskaro and Gurjaani. The information posted on the web page includes the Balance of the Organization,Bonuses of the Public Officials, Bonuses of the Employees,State Procurement, Reports on Release of Public Information, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Dismissed Employees. Information from Municipal Board of Dedoplistskaro  Information from the Municipal Board of Gurjaani Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. What is open governance and how does it benefit the government and the citizens alike? Transparency International – Georgia is presenting you a video that shows how this can be done in practice at the local level involving village residents and local municipality. This video was created within the project Toward Open Government Partnership in Eastern Partnership countries and Russia, which is implemented by Transparency International Georgia in partnership with Transparency International Ukraine and with financial support of UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Source:the organization’s page in the social network

The European Commission (EC) is a significant source of funding for NGOs worldwide. Its regular calls for proposals and other grant opportunities offer a substantial amount of funding resources for NGOs. This entry-level webinar will help NGOs identify and apply to calls for European Commission development programs and external actions. Webinar  Source:fundsforngos.org

Tbilisi. The Georgian National Communications Commission has published the list of broadcasters and cable companies that fall under Must Carry obligation. According to the law the cable companies are obliged to carry Georgian Public Broadcasting (GPB), general license holders that cover no less than 20 percent of the whole territory of Georgia, as well as the channels that operate in the broadcasting zone with at least one subscriber within.According to the data published by GNCC 117 cable companies fall under Must Carry obligation. For full text Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. In response to the Prime Minister’s statement about Vladimer Bedukadze’s plea agreement, GYLA would like to state the following. "we agree with the Prime Minister saying that relieving a perpetrator of torture completely from criminal liability is unacceptable. Further, we believe that modification of court’s verdict in Vladimer Bedukadze’s case is not viable from legal point of view". For full text  Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia published Global Corruption Barometer survey. The surveying was carried out by the Institute for Polling & Marketing (IPM) for Transparency International, which interviewed 1,000 Georgians face to face across the country (except Abkhazia and South Ossetia) in September 2012. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary released the statement about the controversy about Akhaltsikhe District Court. "Following the court’s verdict the office of the chief prosecutor of Georgia released a statement about gravity and contents of charges brought against these individuals. The office of the prosecutor also alleged unjustified communication of presiding judge with prosecutor. The Supreme Court responded to the office of the prosecutor, rejecting the allegations, saying that there was no improper communication whatsoever between the judge and the prosecutor. On July 5 a protest rally was held outside the office of the district court, part of which grew into illegal acts. According to the MIA’s statement, subsequent probe has been launched". For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On July 5, non-governmental organizations issued a statement addressed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs regarding  video archive. "We would like to start by underlining that the present statement reflects the necessity of destroying secretly recorded videos of personal lives, which clearly does not imply that rest of the recorded materials must also be destroyed. Rather, materials reflecting acts of torture, inhumane treatment, rape and similar violent acts should be maintained at least court proceedings are concluded. All perpetrators must be imposed with the punishment proportionate to the gravity of crimes committed, in compliance to applicable law.    On the other hand, different legal considerations apply to secretly recorded videos of personal lives. These videos must be immediately destroyed". For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. GYLA has released a statement about draft constitutional amendments proposed by 82 MPs, expressing its opinion about the legal draft. "we a reconvened that the MPs have elaborated the draft without the involvement of public stakeholders. Elaboration of constitutional amendments in a closed format discourages public involvement which we deem necessary in the process of amending the supreme law of the country". GYLA is currently elaborating a comprehensive legal opinion about constitutional amendments proposed, and intends to make them public in the nearest future. For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On 2nd of July at Georgian Technical University, ESN Tbilisi ISU and Delegation of The European Union To Georgia hold Pre-Departure Orientation Meeting for Erasmus Mundus Georgian winners.  This year more than 180 Georgian students will go to the European Union to take higher education. Students will have opportunity to study in the best universities of 18 European countries. Entire mobility period is financed by European Commission, including leaving cost, insurance and travel expenses. This year Georgian students were able to participate in 11 Erasmus Mundus projects and the following years students will be offered broader opportunities.  High quality education, European experience, intercultural dialogue, personal development, these are few x from the great variety of benefits that Erasmus Offers to students. During the meeting students had opportunity to ask questions and get qualified answers from Attache of Delegation of The European Union of Georgia Mr. Oliver Reisner and the staff of Ilia State University International Relations Department. For full text Source:esn.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association will carry out the pre-election monitoring for the upcoming 2013 Presidential Elections. GYLA started monitoring of pre-election period for the upcoming 2013 presidential elections on July 1, 2013, by means of its regional offices in the following seven regions of Georgia: Adjara, Guria, Imereti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and Tbilisi. The goal of the monitoring is to promote fair and transparent election process in Georgia, and abidance to election laws and internationally recognize standards of democracy by election administration, election entities and public servants during the pre-election period. It also aims at updating Georgian citizens and international community about any violations and flaws detected in the run-up to elections. For full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Over the past few months, Transparency International Georgia has come across while collecting information regarding the state budget’s funding of various religious denominations. "The information we have received reveal that the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church, in terms of state financing, is in the lead. Although obtaining information about government assistance to other denominations proved to be difficult, those documents that were at our disposal indicate that in recent years the state has been showing less concern over them", says the organizations web page. Regarding to TI, in the period from 2002 till this day, the government of Georgia has allocated up to GEL 200.000.000 to the Georgian Patriarchate. For full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained  from  the Municipal Board of Akhaltsikhe. The information posted on the web page includes the Balance of the Organization,Bonuses of the Public Officials, Bonuses of the Employees,State Procurement, Reports on Release of Public Information, Purchases and Maintenance Expenses of Vehicles, Dismissed Employees. For full text  Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. 3 July 2013 – Employment, growth, poverty reduction and food security make agriculture one of the most important sectors of economy in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia – says UNDP research "Comparative Analysis of Agriculture in the South Caucasus”. Key findings of the study will be unveiled on 4 July 2013, at a specially convened conference. Source:cenn