Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained from  the Georgian Intelligence Service. The information posted on the web page includes the issued bonuses, organization's balance, dismissed employees, list of employees and remuneration, vehicle expenses, funded events report.  For Full Text  Source:opendata.ge 

Tbilisi. Charity Humanitarian Centre "ABKHAZETI” (CHCA) has released April Newsletter. Key topics of the edition are : Movie screening in Tskaltubo public schools, CHCA is hosting new EVS volunteer, Homeowners’ and Tenants’ Associations were established in IDP collective centers and settlements, Presentation of the infrastructural projects in Tserovani IDP settlement, From April CHCA began the implementation of the probationers’ rehabilitation projects, CHCA participated in the meeting on the topic of "children in the Georgia’s justice system”, CHCA continues to support the business activities of IDP and local vulnerable populations.  Newsletter Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International - Georgia has released another audio podcast of parliamentary news. Key topics of the May 27 edition are: Law on the Common Courts has entered into force, joint committee meeting on the legislation concerning operative-search measures, and the conference of Transparency International – Georgia on "Secret video spying and protection of personal data: key challenges. Podcast - May 27 Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Charter of Journalistic Ethics has released the statement concerning the material aired on Rustavi 2. TV Company has shown the shots in which the President converses with the soldiers about the details of operation carried out by them. "The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics believes that in view of the safety of Georgian soldiers present in Afghanistan, airing such video fragments is inadmissible, as it unveils the details of a military operation by identifying the direct participants," says the statement. For the full text (geo) Source: qartia.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Children and Youth Development Fund organizes the European Union Law Moot Court competition for the students of Georgian higher education institutions. The competition will be held in English. For the full text Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Samegrelo. The strawberry festival was held in the Zugdidi Central Park. Visitors could buy the strawberry as well as deserts made of it. The festival was organized with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the New Economic Opportunities initiative (NEO). Head of the USAID mission Stephan Haykin has opened the strawberry festival. "This is one of the successful projects, which is a pilot project, but other farmers will also have an opportunity to implement similar projects. Most importantly, we can harvest strawberry several times during a year, and in addition, this project covers different fruits and vegetables," – the Mission Head has stated.

Adjara. On May 25, the discussion - "Photo-historical aspects of Georgia's independence" - was organized in the Batumi Press-Cafe in connection with Georgia's independence day. Further, on May 26, the personal photo-exhibition of Batumi's honorable citizen GizoChigogidze was organized on the territory of the Hero's Square (former Freedom Square), which displayed photo materials taken on Georgia's independence day in various years.

Tbilisi.The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released information obtained from the Natural Resources Agency. The information posted on the web page includes the issued bonuses, organization's balance, dismissed employees, staff list and salaries, vehicle fleet expenses, funded events and the 10 December reports. For the full text (geo) Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has expressed concerns over the death of inmate L.K. and released the statement. For the full text.(geo) Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The key challenges of secret video spying and protection of personal data were discussed today at the conference organized by "Transparency International - Georgia". NGO and the state representatives have attended the conference. Representatives of Transparency International have noted that secret video spying carried out by the authorities in the last few years is a serious problem, as uncontrolled systematic spying endangers the freedom of media and civil rights, the principles that the free and democratic state is built on. Problems in terms of video spying and protection of personal data were also discussed at the conference. Problems and recommendations (geo) In full about the conference.(geo) Source: transparency.ge, media.ge

Tbilisi. The Economic Policy Research Center has released the publication on the fulfillment of 2013 budget revenues. "As the public is already informed, in 2013 it was planned to reach the 6% economic growth, however, the economy grew in the first quarter only by 1,7 percent. This has created the expectation that the fulfillment of the 2013 budget would suffer problems. For this very reason the Economic Policy Research Center found it necessary to analyze the trends identified in the first quarter of 2013 in this respect," – says the organization's web page. The publication – on the fulfillment of revenues of the 2013 state budget.(geo) Source: www.eprc.ge

Kakheti.On May 23-24 the Telavi Media Cafe hosts the international journalist conference, which is organized by the Swedish Media Institute with participation of representatives of media outlets from Sweden, Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Topic of the conference is media and authorities, and the journalists examine the key issues related to policy coverage, self-regulation of independent media, journalists' rights, social media and the contemporary press. Source: media.ge

Imereti. On May 23, the USAID Mission Director to Georgia Stephen Haykin has talked in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center about the importance of decentralization with the local authorities of Kutaisi, the opposition and CSO representatives. The meeting was organized as part of the project – "Democratic Governance in Georgia", and Mr. Haykin has discussed the project's importance as well. Meeting participants have discussed the issues of decentralization reform and the arrangement of rural self-governments, and which competencies should be delegated in Georgia. As it was noted at the meeting, similar discussions is a significant process in order to have a much better legislation fostering the development of self-governments in Georgia even further.

Tbilisi.The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released the "Abortion Statistics in Georgia – 2004-2012". The organization has obtained the information from the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs. "Obtained documents make it clear that over nine years (2004-2012) the facts of termination of pregnancy in Georgia have reached an alarming number - 221 082. Further, it is notable that the dynamics of abortions is on the rise annually and compared to the 2004 data, the preliminary data of 2012 are increased by 130%," says the organization's web page. For the full text (geo) Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released the internal audit reports obtained from the Ministry of Environment. The released information includes data on the inventory process, procurements, accounting reports, non-budgetary revenues and the status of the vehicle fleet. For the full text (geo) Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Fund (MDF) has released the second newsletter, which reflects the monitoring results of expression of the hate speech and discrimination in the Georgian media during 22-29 April. MDF's project observes 6 newspapers and the main news programs and talk-shows of the 6 televisions. The Newsletter.(geo) Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. A two-day international conference in advocacy "Digital Media Map" was opened on May 23. The conference examines the challenges and threats linked to the transition to digital broadcasting, the experience of various countries and the state's role in this process, the regional and local advocacy strategies, the issue of the Public Broadcaster, and the need to develop a transparent and non-discriminatory legislation in the process of transiting to digital broadcasting. The conference is organized by the Open Society Foundations, with participation of international experts in digital media from England, Estonia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. CSOs have addressed the donor organizations. In the address released on May 22, in the first place CSOs thank the international community for the assistance rendered up to date and for the future support. In addition, they convey their opinions about the type of work that they believe is the future priority. The address (geo) Source: cidacso.wordpress.com

Adjara. On May 22, the Civil Society Institute has organized another workshop in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center. This time CSI has met with the local architects and representatives of the construction companies. The meeting aimed to inform about the project and call on to participate in it. Drafting of the strategic plan of Batumi's urban development, which along with the invited experts involves local architects, citizens and other interested persons, will be completed in May-August.

Tbilisi. The citizen initiative group has held a press-conference on the petition. The group consists of lawyer Tamar Gurchiani, sociologist IagoKachkachishvili, the Director of the Literature Museum LashaBakradze and the Doctor of philosophy Tata Tsopurishvili. They have presented to the public a petition, which was signed over two days by more than 12 thousand citizens and the number of signatures is still growing. Today the citizen initiative group will submit the petition and the number of signatories to it to the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister and Chairman of the Parliament - media.ge was told by one of the authors of the petition Tamar Gurchiani before the start of the press-conference. The petition (geo) For the full text (geo) Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. The Soviet Past Research Laboratory has published the oral stories: film N8, in which AlbinaDzneladze tells her story of resettlement to Kazakhstan. The story was recorded as part of the project of the Soviet Past Research Laboratory "Free Access to Information and Justice". The project is implemented with funding from the National Endowment for Democracy (USA). Oral stories film   №8. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Amendments made to the Organic Law on the Common Courts enabled the NGO sector to submit to the Parliament of Georgia the nominees to the Council of Justice. Based on the above-mentioned legislative amendments, the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has presented the nominees to the High Council of Justice. GYLA has named Nino Bakakuri, Zurab Dzlierishvili and KakhaTsikarishvili as the non-judge members. For the full text. source: gyla.ge