Tbilisi. The Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen has filed an official letter in the Chief Prosecutor’s Office requesting the launch of investigation in the activities of the National Communications Commission. "At this stage two areas have been examined and identified, concerning unfair tariffs on the market of interconnection in the field of communications and the forms of introduction of portable service system", says the letter. According to the Association, the actions of the Communications Commission are marred with signs of crime and corruption schemes.For the full text.Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Samtskhe-Javakheti.On January 31, the CSO "Accessible Environment for All" has organized a meeting in the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center concerning the problems of persons with disabilities. The meeting was attended by the persons with disabilities residing in Akhaltsikhe and at aimed at identifying the problems of such persons and establishing their union.At the initiative of the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center, the discussion was held on the same topic in the second part of the meeting, led by the Inclusive Education Coordinator in Samtskhe-Javakheti Nino Nadiradze.The film "Kedeli" (wall) was shown at the meeting. Finally, the organization "Accessible Environment for All" has disseminated information newsletters among the participants.The organization "Accessible Environment for All" functions for year and a half, uniting the citizens with disabilities. The organization aims to integrate them into the society.

Tbilisi. The youth associations have released the statement on January 31, after the incident in the Wrestling Federation. In their statement the organizations condemn "physical abuse of opponents" by the officials, "motivated by deciding certain issues in their favor". The organizations demand investigation in relation to this fact. For the full text. Source: page of House of Tolerance in the social network 

Imereti. Presentation of results of the project "Protecting the Interests of Private Owners during the Construction of Zestaponi-Samtredia Motor Highway" of the Young Economists' Association was held in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center. According to the representative of the Young Economists' Association PaataKldiashvili, information meetings were held with the population as part of the project, and professional economists and lawyers have delivered consultations to the beneficiaries for bringing in order the documentation confirming their title to the property."Majority of beneficiaries has already received compensation in exchange of property on the Kutaisi-Samtredia section, while a small part still has certain problems. Active work is underway to help them", - Kldiashvili said.The project was funded by the US Agency for International Development, as part of the "Policy, Advocacy and Civil Society Development in Georgia" Program of the East-West Management Institute.

Samtskhe-Javakheti.On January28, as part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program, the civic club members of the Public School of village Klde of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality have delivered the training in "healthy life style".The training was delivered in three stages. Peer educators have discussed the use of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes among the youth and its deplorable results. Schoolchildren have discussed what is the healthy life style, what are the harmful habits that youngsters tend to have, which problems accompany these habits and what should be done for the adolescents not to be addicted to alcohol, drugs and nicotine.

Imereti. Imereti-based CSOs hold monthly information meetings, where they report on their projects and summarize their work. Future projects are also introduced at such meetings. For instance, GYLA's Kutaisi Branch has completed one of the projects that was funded by the US Embassy - "Know Who You Elect and for What". As part of this project GYLA plans to present the project reports in the regions. Representatives of NGO and media organizations will participate in the presentations.

Adjara.The association "Deserving Old Age" has delivered seminars on January 30 and 31 for the elderly titled "How to launch our own business". Seminar attended by the beneficiaries of 55-65 years of age aimed to promote self-employment of the elderly and develop their business skills. For the full text. Source: awa.org.ge

Tbilisi. Interested persons can get familiar with Daniel Treisman’s book "The Architecture of Government: Rethinking Political Decentralization” in the Regional Development and Local Self-Government Resource Center.The author notes that political decentralization is often viewed as the mechanism of improving the governance. In the opinion of those favoring decentralization, proximity of governance and people is a certain warrant of human rights protection, avoiding the ethnic conflicts and citizen participation in the politics. Daniel Treisman believes that such arguments are often unjustified and rethinking the theory of decentralization well is required. Based on the empirical examples examined in the book, the author thinks that it is impossible to state whether decentralization is beneficial in a specific case or not. Source: participate.ge

Tbilisi. As part of the new international project, "Civitas Georgica” launches workshops for the representatives of NGOs, business sector and media. The project is funded by the Visegrad Foundation and serves the development of sustainable civil society in the Caucasus Region. The first workshop within the project framework will be held on February 5 in the office of "Civitas Georgica”. Source: civitas.geSector – Civil Society.

KvemoKartli. SIQA has organized the interim summary event of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program on January 30 in the MarneuliSakrebulo. At the event attended by over 120 active club members and supervisers, five clubs of the region have presented their club work. Program Coordinator in the KvemoKartli Region has reviewed the results achieved during the current year. Source:the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. On January 30, the "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy”, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association and "Transparency International – Georgia” have held a joint press-conference concerning the amendments to the Law of the Adjara AR on the Elections of the Supreme Council of the Adjara Autonomous Republic in relation to the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission.The organizations have informed the society about their position on legislative amendments adopted by the Supreme Council of Adjara on 29 January 2013, which determines the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission in a new fashion. The organizations believe that changing the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission in such a form, beyond the election reform and out of context, is perceived as an attempt of exercising political influence on the election administration.We would like to remind readers that on 26 December 2012 NGOs have addressed the Supreme Council of the Adjara Autonomous Republic with a statement, urging it to carry out changes to the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission in the context of election reform and through the work format with a non-governmental sector. Source: ISFED page in the social network.

Tbilisi. "Article 42 of Constitution” echoed the Parliament’s initiative on bringing amendments to the Constitution of Georgia by releasing the statement on January 29. The statement says that significant issues are discussed without citizen participation. In the statement, "Article 42 of Constitution” focuses on the location of the Parliament – "we find it unreasonable to determine the location of the Parliament in the Constitution. We believe that the government, other public and diplomatic representations, active partnership with which is the Parliament’s obligation, should be located in the same administrative unit.”The organization hopes that the Parliament of Georgia will treat the process of important decision-making for the country with maximum responsibility and will facilitate the strengthening of democratic principles in the country. For the full text. Source: npo.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti.On January 30, the Adult Education Association of Georgia has organized in the Akhaltsikhe Civic Engagement Center the awarding ceremony of graduates of the "Scholarship Program for Access to Learning English Language” (Accss). In addition, the program results were summarized.This program is being implemented in four cities of Georgia and is funded by the US Embassy. 26 adolescents have undertaken the full program course in Akhaltsikhe. Head of the Public Relations Department of the US Embassy Michael Turner has awarded the first graduates with certificates and gifts.The Scholarship Program for Access to Learning English Language aims to make learning English language accessible to adolescents from economically poor families. Apart from learning English language, children will get familiar with the American culture and customs and develop leadership skills.

Guria. As part of the Civic Education and Teacher Training Program, the Guria Youth Resource Center has organized an interim conference on January 29 in the Ozurgeti Civic Engagement Center. The conference aimed at informing the local population about the activities carried out as part of the Program in July-December 2012. Members of the civic clubs and initiative groups operating in the target schools of the Program, supporting teachers, representatives of the Education Resource Center and mass media have attended the event.Awarded at the event were 5 adolescent and host organizations participating in the Program’s internship component.

Imereti. The training in project drafting skills and fund-raising issues was delivered on January 30 in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center, led by the PR Office of the Ilia State University Lana Ghvinjilia. The training was designed for NGOs and students. First part of the meeting concerned the topic of civil activism, and in particular the issues of social networks, media and population activities. Second part of the training was dedicated to the project structure and drafting skills.At the end of the meeting the documentary was showed depicting the 1968 Prague events.

Tbilisi. On January 31, at 5 pm, the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation invites you to the exhibition of handcraft works of youngsters with disabilities."Open Gallery” will host the works of applied art, which were created as part of the project "The Role of Social Therapy in the Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities”. Project beneficiaries will participate in the exhibition. The project aims to set up the social therapy house and to employ the youngsters with disabilities.The initiative is implemented by the Rustavi-based organization "Association of Parents of Children with Neural Diseases”, with financial support of the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation. Source: osgf.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association monitors the developments in the local self-government authorities. One group of problems that emerged recently in this respect concerns the dismissal of persons employed in the municipalities, - says the organization’s web site. In given case as well, GYLA echoes the dismissal of two persons – public servants from the Kareli Municipality. For the full text. Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The "International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy” has released the statement on the change to the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission by the Supreme Council of Adjara. According to the organization’s statement, given amendments were adopted hastily and they are not in coordination with the course of election reform. The organization expresses concern that "changing the procedure of staffing the Supreme Election Commission in such a form is perceived as beyond the election reform and out of context, as an attempt of exercising political influence on the election administration.” The Statement. Source: isfed.ge

Adjara. On January 29, the EC Delegation has held the meeting in the Batumi Press-Cafe, at which it has presented three grant programs to the local CSOs. The meeting aimed to explain the competition application forms in details and to inform about evaluation of projects submitted to the competition. Local CSO representatives have received from the EC Delegation exhaustive answers to all their queries. Grant Programs.

Tbilisi. The organization "Identity”, which protects gender equality and the LGBT human rights, has filed a claim against Georgia with the European Court of Human Rights. According to the information posted on the organization’s web page on January 29, the claim "concerns breaking up a rally on 17 May 2012 in Tbilisi, Rustaveli Avenue, in celebration of the International Day against Homophobia”. The claim in the European Court of Human Rights is filed in the name of organization "Identity” and the participants of the 17 May rally. For the full text:  Source: identoba.com

Kartli. On January 29, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association has organized a meeting in the Gori Civic Engagement Center. The meeting concerned the analysis of criminal and administrative violations cases against citizens arrested by previous authorities, which GYLA has examined.Broad spectrum of representatives of the society has attended the meeting: representatives of political parties, CSOs, media and active citizens. Meeting participants were provided with the second part of the book published by GYLA – "An Analysis of Allegedly Politically Motivated Criminal and Administrative Violations Cases”, which analyzes several additional cases. In addition, the small brochures bearing the same title were handed out in English and Georgian languages. The Book – "An Analysis of Allegedly Politically Motivated Criminal and Administrative Violations Cases”.

Kakheti.On January 24 the Telavi Civic Engagement Center has hosted the event titled "Campaign for support of the law on tobacco-free environment in Georgia”. The campaign was organized by the NGO Welfare Foundation, the Implementation and Monitoring Center of the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Alliance for Tobacco Control.Akaki Jikashvili, the student: "Similar campaigns are vital and should be held several times during the year. I was the tobacco user and smoked a lot, but after receiving the relevant information I gradually gave it up and now I don’t smoke at all. Schoolchildren must be more actively involved in such initiatives.”