Tbilisi. Numerous questions have arisen after the parliamentary elections in relation to the winner candidate of the Poti single-seat district. "Transparency International - Georgia" found it expedient to ask questions to MP Eka Beselia herself and find out whether the MP abuses her powers or not. For the full text. Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. The Europe Day was celebrated at the initiative of the Association "Deserving Old Age". The information seminar "Let's Get Familiar with the EU" was held at the 8 May meeting attended by the organization's beneficiaries. They have also watched the video describing the EU institutes and values and the Georgia-EU cooperation. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association has released the statement on the investigation of the Lapankuri special operation case. GYLA believes that in respect of the special operation conducted in the Lopota Gorge on 28 August 2012, "current investigation does not meet the requirements of objective, effective and independent investigation, and therefore we call on the investigative authorities to timely remedy the existing gaps." For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released another podcast of parliamentary news. The 7 May edition covers the following topics: overriding of presidential veto by the Parliament concerning the Law on Common Courts, the law on jury trials not amended any more, statement of the coalition, TSU and the Ilia State University appeal to the President to veto the amendments to the Civil Code. Podcast of parliamentary news – 7 May (geo) Source:transparency.ge

Adjara. Members of the Batumi Youth Center have celebrated the Europe Day. The documentary "How Was the European Continent Originated" was shown. Apart from the documentary, youngsters have played various educational games. The activity was organized as part of the project "Advancing National Integration in Georgia", which is implemented by the UN Association of Georgia with financial support of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi.NGOs have released the statement on the secret video recording released on May3. "We would like to express utmost concern over the secret video recording released on May 3 that disclosed the details of persons’ private life... Conducting the timely and efficient investigation is necessary for establishing the truth on this fact and avoiding similar cases in the future," says the statement. The organizations call on the Minister of Interior to personally control this issue. For the full text (geo) Source: page of "Article 42 of the Constitution" in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Charter of Journalistic Ethics has released a letter in connection with the World Press Freedom Day. For the 20th time, the world celebrates the Press Freedom Day – May 3 and the Charter of Ethics congratulates all journalists with the professional celebration. "From the day of restoration of the country’s independence, Georgian media always faced challenges, and in this respect 2012 was not different either – the pre-election period if you like, when the persecution of journalists was a usual event. The incident that took place on May 1 this year is alarming as well, when the law-enforcers have arrested two journalists during the coverage of manifestation,” – says the statement. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics expresses hope "that the country’s current authorities will finally apprehend the need for the free media; apprehend that the independence and strength of media is a safeguard of democratic development of all three branches of power and the state as a whole.” For the full text (geo) Source: qartia.org.ge

Tbilisi.The Parliament of Georgia has once again debated the draft law concerning the rejection of jury trials. The NGO sector representatives had comments in respect of the draft law, which they have numerously emphasized. On May 1 the Parliament of Georgia has once again returned to debating the draft law. The statement of NGOs says that the "legislative body has supported neither the President’s comments nor the initiated draft law, as a result of which the norm in the Criminal Procedure Code remains valid... Preservation of the current norm by the Parliament of Georgia must be clearly hailed.” For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released the public information obtained from the National Examinations Center, including the information on bonuses issued to the Center’s employees, budget balance, dismissed employees, staff list and their salaries, vehicle fleet expenses, funded events, etc. For the full text Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. The organization Georgian Democratic Initiative echoed the developments at the May 1 rally and released the statement. "In individual cases, the rally participants may have indeed committed various administrative offences. Yet, at the same time, there is an impression from the released video material that part of the policemen has forgotten the purpose of its actions – to free the motor vehicle road – and thus their actions were mainly focused on detention of the rally participants,” says the statement. The organization will withdraw information from the relevant agencies and will subsequently analyze the fact from legal perspective. For the full text Source: gdi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia echoed the arrest of high officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and the state-owned LLC "Mechanizatori” by the anti-corruption agency of the Ministry of Interior. "We believe that identifying and preventing the facts of participation of officials in the corruption deals and misappropriation of budgetary funds must be the priority of any authorities. We find even more effective mechanisms must be developed in this respect. One of the significant initiatives would be to secure the protection guarantees for informers, which will have a positive effect on the implementation of the state anti-corruption policies,” says the organization’s web page. For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Imereti. On May 2, the Research-Intellectual Club "Dialogue of Generations” and the Kutaisi Youth Parliament functioning with the Kutaisi City Hall have held the joint Loesje initiative. The initiative was organized as part of the project "Anti-Bet”, which is funded by the Czech NGO Nesekhnut. Key objective of the initiative is to attract public attention to the high degree of participation of minors in the gambling sector. Loesje is a short text notice, which consists of short sentences and carries a positive message. The participants have disseminated these messages among the citizens city-wide. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. NGOs echo the amendments to be made to the Criminal Procedure Code and call on the Parliament of Georgia to secure at the legislative level the effective guarantees of exercise of the right to defense. "The original version of the draft law initiated by the Government of Georgia included the necessary and significant guarantees for carrying out effective defense... By two hearings the Parliament of Georgia has adopted this draft law in a significantly modified form,” says the statement. In the opinion of signatory NGOs, adoption of the law in this form will hinder the effective exercise of the right to defense, "which by itself will considerably lower the degree of exercise of justice in our country.” The Statement. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. To celebrate the World Liberty Day, the EC Delegation to Georgia announced the second round of the contest "EU Prize in Journalism”. The EU Ambassador to Georgia Philip Dimitrov will officially present the EU prize. Journalists and attending audience will have an opportunity to discuss in detail the terms and prize categories of the contest together with the EU representatives. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. As part of the project "Independence”, from April 30 to May 18 the Polish specialists will deliver trainings organized by the "ARI ARI” Foundation for the blind in the space orientation, which include teaching of the space orientation to the blind persons, use of hearing during the orientation and the preparation of binaural recordings and tactile maps. The Polish Foundation "ARI ARI” and NGO "Mariani” have developed the binaural recordings jointly. It includes recordings made in various streets and metro stations, as well as sightseeings of Tbilisi. Source: page of the NGO Mariani in the social network.

Tbilisi. As part of the Policy, Advocacy and Civil Society Development in Georgia Program, the East-West Management Institute has released the social photo-collage on advocacy. The word ‘advocacy’ often causes confusion and is associated with various legal terms, while its definition is totally different, - says the Program’s web page in the social network. In this respect, the Institute has offered to the public the experience of its partners – the representatives of the Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information, Economic Policy Research Center, Safe Space, SiDA, Caucasus Foundation for social photography, Radarami, Transparency International – Georgia, Multinational Georgia, Green Alternative and the Civil Society Institute participate in the campaign and share their experience to the public. What is advocacy?(geo) Source: the program's page in the social network.

Imereti. The first session of the Youth Parliament will be held on 2 May 2013. Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Davit Usupashvili and the MPs from the majority and minority will host the youngsters. The Youth Parliament session will be attended by the representatives of diplomatic corps, UN and other international organizations. 100 youngsters were selected for the work of the 2013 Youth Parliament, including the three employees of the Civil Society Institute: Tamar Bochorishvili, Nino Mghvdeladze (interns), Keti Potova (Batumi Branch of CSI).

Tbilisi.The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center echoes the developments after the May 1 rally and releases the statement. "The Center expresses concerns over disproportionate force used against the demonstrators. Materials released by media outlets demonstrate that in separate cases the use of detention as the form of prevention of unlawful actions represented in itself the disproportionate means,” says the statement. The Center calls on the Ministry of Interior to adequately evaluate the actions of the police officers and apply the relevant measures of responsibility. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center plans to study this fact in detail and report to the public in the nearest future. For the full text.(geo) Source: The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. GYLA echoes the May 1 developments during the student-led manifestation and releases the statement. "Information disseminated at this point raises doubts that in separate instances the police officers have used disproportionate force,” the statement says. The organization continues probing into the fact in detail and urges respective authorities to examine the facts and duly react to them. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. On May 1, the Public Council Secretariat of the current self-government reform and the new web page – www.droa.ge – were presented in the office of the "Open Society - Georgia" Foundation. Representatives of the authorities, international and CSO organizations have attended the presentation. "It's the Self-Government Time" – is the motto of the advisers' public council Secretariat, which aims to promote the current self-government reform and coordinate the work of participants involved in the reform. The adviser's public council Secretariat was set up with the support of the US Agency for International Development and the Management Systems International. The project is implemented by the "Open Society – Georgia" Foundation. Function of the Secretariat is to timely and adequately provide and exchange information among the participants involved in the self-government reform process. On the web page www.droa.ge the interested persons can get familiar with all necessary information on the reform.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has released public information obtained from the Border Police. Interested persons will find information on bonuses of the agency's employees, budget balance, reports on issuing of public information, dismissed employees, staff list, vehicle fleet expenses and the funded events. For the full text (geo) Source: opendata.ge

Tbilisi. On May 2, the session of the "Youth Parliament of Georgia" will be officially opened in the building of the Parliament of Georgia in Kutaisi. The Project Head of the "Young Georgian MPs" TeonaLavrelashvili and the PhD of the Robakidze University Devi Khvedeliani have announced this news on April 30 at the press-conference. Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia Davit Usupashvili will host the members of the Youth Parliament. Source: page of the Georgian Youth Parliament in the social network.