ShidaKartli. The Civil Society Institute continues presenting the CSO web portal - www.csogeorgia.org - in the regions. At the presentation held on April 11 in the Gori Civic Engagement Center for the CSOs, media and interested public, the Civil Society Institute has informed users in detail about the portal. Presentations held in various regions aim in addition to get familiar with the initiatives and proposals of the direct users of the portal, which will promote the portal's development.

Adjara. Adjara-based 14 NGOs, non-platform member organizations have joined the statement of the Eastern Partnership National Platform, released on April 5 requesting the objective investigation of incident between the GYLA employees and the Head of the Adjara Chief Department of the MoI.The Statement.

Tbilisi.The brochure and the map titled "Free legal aid centers in Georgia" were published with financial support of the UN Development Program (UNDP). The documents promote access of the self-defending persons to a qualified legal service. "Free legal aid centers in Georgia". Source: page of the Georgian courts in the social network.

Guria. Members of the Youth Center functioning with the "Union of Young Teachers" have organized an event to celebrate the World Health Day.The event aimed at attracting public attention to the problems of children's health existing in the country and the state's responsibility in respect of protection of children's rights.

Tbilisi. The Economic Policy Research Center has presented the report "Current State of the Land Market”. The report "Current State of the Land Market” analyzes the land market reforms carried out in Georgia from independence until now and their results.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Imereti. On April4, 37 members of the Kutaisi Youth Center have participated in the meeting held in the Akaki Tsereteli State University to commemorate the founding day of NATO. At the meeting the youngsters got familiar with the 2013 action plan of the Information Center on NATO and the EU and watched the film "From Berlin to Berlin”. Members of the Center have planted cedar saplings in the "NATO Square” functioning in the University’s yard.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. "Tiflis Hamkari” has released an open letter, in which it requests to preserve the former branch of the Marxism-Leninism Institute, the "Imeli” building located at 29 Shota Rustaveli Avenue. "Tiflis Hamkari” addresses representatives of the Dhabi Group, Prime-Minister of Georgia, President of Georgia, the Minister of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia and the Tbilisi Mayor to find the way out of the existing situation, which will neither violate the investor’s rights, nor leave Tbilisi without another building. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. On April 9, while being on a business visit to Samtskhe-Javakheti, the members of the CoE Monitoring Committee have met with representatives of the local NGO sector. The first visit was paid to the Samtskhe-Javakheti regional association "Tolerant”, following which the guests have moved to the office of organization "Union of Democrat Meskhetians”. The problems of ethnic minorities were discussed at the meetings. After Akhaltsikhe the CoE representatives went to Akhalkalaki, where they have also met with representatives of the local self-government and the NGO sector.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information works on a new project, which purports to analyze the developments in Georgia in 1989-1991. "Even after 20 years from the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the final years of the USSR and the initial years of Georgia’s independence are not in fact examined. They are not duly reflected in the school textbooks and scientific discourse,” – says the organization’s web page. A book will be published based on the materials obtained as part of the project. The project "Past Heritage of the New State” is being implemented with the financial support of the Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association (DVV International). Source: idfi.ge

Kakheti. The Telavi Youth Initiative Group carries on the initiative "Books for Prisoners”. On April 9, another event was held in the Telavi Media Cafe aimed at collecting the Georgian-language books for the prisoners.Achi Mchedlishvili, member of the Initiative Group: "Our initiative will succeed when prisoners have more books. Unfortunately, this is still a luxury for many penitentiary institutions. The Telavi Public Library decided to present 500 books to inmates. Many thanks to everyone who assists us in the implementation of this initiative, and to those who have brought at least one book for the inmates.”

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released the weekly audio podcast of parliamentary news. Topics of the April 8 edition are: reforming the Board of Trustees of the Public Broadcaster, the Labor Code, amendments related to the jury trials, the Election Code, terms of compulsory military service, reforming the Council of Justice, reconstruction of halls of the Parliament's Tbilisi building. Podcast of parliamentary news – 8 April. Sector – other.

Kakheti. A meeting was held on April 8 in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center between the representatives of the Telavi Municipality's self-government and NGOs. The meeting aimed at promoting the transparency of the self-government activities, as well as enhancing communication between the self-government and the NGO sector. Representatives of the initiative groups and public unions and ordinary citizens have attended the meeting.

Tbilisi. The Caucasian House has released next editions of an online diary. On March 29, the heading "Silhouette" presents an interview recorded with the painter and writer TemoJaparidze in 2011. Georgian-Abkhazian relations are the topic of the 5 April edition. Apart from the representative of the Caucasian House, the topic is discussed by the Polish volunteer. March 29 online diary. April 5 online diary. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. NGOs have released a statement on April 8 concerning the amendments to be made to the Election Code. On March 25 the Bureau of the Parliament of Georgia decided to examine the amendments to be made to the "Election Code of Georgia" through an expedited procedure. NGOs call on the Parliament of Georgia "to provide the public with a possibility to hold broad public debate on the amendments to the Election Code of Georgia and not to adopt these amendments through the expedited procedure." For the full text. Source: ISFED page in the social network.

Samtskhe-Javakheti.NGO "Let's Make Friends with Persons with Disabilities" has organized the visit of the schoolchildren of the Blind Children's School and the Georgian-British Academy to the Akhaltsikhe Fortress. Blind children were guided by the schoolchildren of the Georgian-British Academy. They underwent special training not to cause problems to the blind during the movement.

 Adjara. On April 5, the "Union of Spouses of Disabled-Combatants and Killed Warriors" has organized the discussion on the "Gender equality in the political processes" in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center. The discussion aimed at raising the population's awareness on the gender equality issues and the objectives and activities of the Gender Equality Network. Representatives invited from the Adjara districts have attended the meeting. In addition, the activist/leader women living in Adjara, as well as ladies representing the NGO and international organizations working on gender topics, the authorities, political parties and various social groups have also participated in the discussion.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. Through the joint efforts and initiative of CSO "All for All" and the psychological service center "Green House", the exhibition of paintings and handcraft items of up to ten children with disabilities was opened in the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center. The works will stay in the Civic Engagement Center for two weeks.

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" has filed a claim on April 5 in the Tbilisi City Court, requesting the invalidation of the 25 January 2013 Order of the Minister of Finance and the subsequent Order of the Head of the Revenue Service, "which restricts the customs clearance procedures of the small and medium carriers and puts the Georgian Post in the dominant position." For the full text. Source: transparency.ge/

Adjara. On April 5, the NGOs "Tiflis Hamkari", "Batomi", "ICOM Georgia" and the Batumi State University have organized a conference titled "Problems of protection of cultural heritage". The speaekrs and participants have discussed in detail the causes of problems of experienced by the city in respect of the protection of cultural heritage.

Tbilisi. The first group of the Georgian National Platform of Eastern Partnership demands an impartial investigation on the case of the employee of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association (GYLA). In particular, the statement of the Platform members concerns the incident between the three employees of GYLA and the Head of the Adjara Chief Department of the MoIValeriTelia on March 28 in Batumi. Platform member organizations call on the Ministry of Interior of Georgia and the Chief Prosecutor's Office to carry out efficient investigation and provide public with exhaustive information on the case. The Statement.(geo) Source: www.npo.ge

Tbilisi. The discussion was held on March 28 in the Heinrich Boll Foundation on the "Gender agenda for equal participation of women and men". The Foundation has published large material for the discussion with participation of the member of the parliamentary gender equality council GuguliMaghradze, lawyer Tamar Gurchiani, expert in gender issues Tamar Bagratia and the UN Women's organization advisor in gender issues Tamar Sabedashvili. Discussion – "Gender Agenda for Equal Participation of Women and Men".(geo) Source:www.ge.boell.org

Tbilisi. NGOs are concerned over the grave and dangerous situation in Tbilisi's ecology and greening sector. It is stated in the address to the Tbilisi Mayor and the Sakrebulo that there is unsatisfactory ecological condition in Tbilisi, along with the condition of the city's vegetation. Further, NGOs emphasize the problems in the procurement process in the greening sector. "We believe that undue fulfillment of functions imposed under the legislation by the City Service for Ecology and Greening is a major cause of above-described problems," says the statement. Signatory organizations recommend the city Mayor and the Sakrebulo "to probe into the official responsibility of managements of the City Service for Ecology and Greening and the City Service for Municipal Procurements." For the full text (geo) Source: www.transparency.ge