Members of the Civil Society Regional Network have released a statement. It reviews the existing situation in the country and provides recommendations, with which the CSOs address the authorities. Organizations express readiness to be actively involved in the discussion processes, and to work with all interested parties in a constructive regime to make the process of Georgia's democratic development irreversible. The Statement. Source: cidacso.wordpress.com

Samtskhe-Javakheti. As part of the project "Democracy Starts With You", 20 teachers from Georgia have visited Yerevan on 17-20 January. Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani teachers have shared experience and ideas among each other and worked on planning the integrated lessons. It was also decided to set up the association that will connect teachers with the Ministry of Education.Three tiers of relations among the teachers were discussed at the meeting: relations in schools, within the countries, and the South Caucasus countries.The project "Democracy Starts With You" is being implemented for the third year by the "Konrad Adenauer" Stiftung and the Tbilisi Political School. The project covers three South Caucasian states: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. 20 schools and 10 teachers are selected from each country. Last year and the year before that teachers have gathered in Georgia, while this year Yerevan was the host city.

Tbilisi. The Heinrich Boll Stiftung has published the collection of public discussion held in 2012 in the Foundation. It provides discussion details on issues such as internal and external vectors of democratic development, power and freedom, diversity, equality and fairness, rethinking Soviet past: collective memory and identity. Source: ge.boell.org

Adjara. On January 18, at the initiative of the civic club "Balavari" of the Batumi Public School #2, the event was held titled "Watch the Train! Observe Safety Rules!" The casualties caused by the wrong movement of drivers and pedestrians on the railway crossing have attracted the schoolchildren's attention and they have planned the respective event, which aimed to inform the public on observing the safe movement rules on the railway crossings. At the Mantashevi railway crossing in Batumi, the club members played the role of duty officers at the railway crossings, and handed out the information brochures to the drivers and pedestrians crossing the railway about the safety rules and urged them to observe these rules. The event was successfully implemented. Representatives of the Railway Track Department of Georgia have controlled the safety of schoolchildren on the railway tracks. For the full text. Source: civics.ge

Tbilisi. The overview of the priorities of the new Government in the 2013 state budget was published on the web page of Transparency International - Georgia. "The 2013 state budget (assignments) increases by 657 million GEL (8.1%) compared to the 2012 budget. The 2013 budget reflects the priorities of the country's new Government, which are agriculture, health and social welfare, and education and science. The Government started implementing these three new priorities back in December 2012." The publication focuses as on the positive as well as on problematic aspects of the budget. It also includes a set of recommendations. For the full text. Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. "First Step Georgia" offers the individual program of sensory integration for children with special needs in the specially equipped "sensory room". The sensory room is equipped with special developing tools, various visual and audio inventory and toys. The sensory integration program aims to teach adequate reactions generated by the stimulation of children's hearing, visual, smelling, tasty and tactile senses, and to use them in the natural environment. For full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. The Social Center for the Elderly periodically hosts information seminars on the topics of concern to the elderly persons. The seminar held on January 21 concerned the issues of healthy ageing. Discussion at the seminar evolved around factors that contribute to the longevity of people: healthy mode of life, balanced nourishing, moderate physical activities, etc. For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. In the opinion of part of journalists, who are the members of the "Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics", the amendment should be made to the Charter's regulations, pursuant to which a member of the Charter's Council must not have violated the principles of ethics throughout one year. Members have discussed this on the Charter's Facebook page. According to the explanation of the Chair of the Charter Giorgi Mgeladze, the members of the Charter's Council have not discussed this topic, but nevertheless it is his personal belief that such amendment will indeed contribute to increased trust towards the Council. "It will be exemplary for the journalists as well that there are people in the Council having no problems whatsoever with ethics," - says Mgeladze. For the full text. Source: media.ge

Tbilisi."Transparency International – Georgia" releases weekly audio podcasts, which review the most interesting events developing in the country's chief legislative body. Any media outlet, blogger and interested person can use and disseminate podcast without the organization's permission. Topics of the January 21 podcast are: President's term of office, amendments to the Law on Broadcasting, debates on the status of the Adjara Television, increased scope of jury trials, kindergartens, issue of the cleaning fee, the students' initiative on changing the status of the Tbilisi State University. Podcast of parliamentary news. Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. On January18, the youth organization "Art Way" held another theatricalized event as part of the Re-Animation Project. The event participants have informed large part of the public about the problems of the blind by imitating the sound traffic lights. They urged the ministries, which are directly responsible for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities, to fully enforce the Law focused on the improvement of their social state. Apart from the "Art Way" club members, local CSO representatives have also participated in the campaign.

Samtskhe-Javakheti. As part of the project "Transparent Self-Government", the online-conference of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality GamgebeliBesikKhitarishvili with the population was held on January 18 on the official Facebook page of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality. Throughout the conference, during one hour citizens could ask questions of concern to them and receive competent answers directly from the Municipality Gamgebeli. The project "Transparent Self-Government" is implemented by the NGO "Union of Democrat Meskhetians". It aims to facilitate the cooperation between the self-government representatives and the population.

Adjara. At the initiative of the Civic Advisors' Council, on January 18 the Batumi Civic Engagement Center has hosted the public discussion over the location of MemedAbashidze's monument. Results of the public opinion poll conducted by the Advisors' Council were presented at the meeting. The study aimed to identify potential locations, where the citizens interested in this issue would like to move the monument. The issue has caused harsh debates as the invited guests had different opinions. Part of the attendees believed that the monument should be located in the 6 May Park of Batumi, while the other part found this Park to be inappropriate. Finally the meeting participants came to the conclusion that a broad-scale public opinion poll should be carried out in the city, and the competent commission should be guided by the results of such poll when making the decision. Members of the "Architects' Council", CSO and media organizations, the Adjara Union of Writers, representatives of the self-governing city Batumi's Sakrebulo/City Hall, Supreme Council of the Adjara AR, students and other interested citizens have attended the meeting.

Tbilisi. At the initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Oxfam Great Britain has organized the discussion of the draft Law on the Support of Agricultural Cooperatives on January 17 in the Betsy Hotel. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Davit Shervashidze and the representatives of the Ministry’s Legal Department, CSO and donor organizations have attended the meeting. Following the presentation of the draft Law by the Head of the Ministry’s Legal Department, long discussion has taken place about the final text of the draft Law. After the meeting the participants agreed to hold additional consultations first in an electronic form, and then to organize a similar meeting prior to submitting the draft Law to the Parliament.

Tbilisi.  On 21-23 January 2013, Caucasian Institute for Economic and Social Research will hold a public lecture series for students from different universities, for members of media organizations and for all interested parties. Public lecture series will be delivered within the scope of the project "V4 for C3 EU Integration”. The aims of the public lecture series are  to raise awareness about socio-economic aspects of EU integration issues and to inform the broader audience about the ongoing project. Georgia’s participation in the Eastern  Partnership Initiative makes the Georgian government responsible for implementing a number of reform initiatives. While the challenges of the current period are significant, the possibilities of harmonization and accumulation of all the necessary resources for the harmonization process are unprecedented. Public lecture series are delivered within the scope of the project "V4 for C3 EU Integration”. Project duration is 12 months and the project is supported financially by the International Visegrad Fund.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Small and Medium Enterprises Association has released a statement on January 18 in relation to the President’s initiative – decriminalization of economic crimes. The statement says: "Year and a half ago our Association has launched the campaign with the same demand. The Association has carried out relevant analysis of the Tax and Criminal Codes (with the support of USAID, EWMI, EPF) and developed concrete recommendations that were provided to the authorities back in 2011. Unfortunately, changes were not made then, as the authorities lacked enough will to make this move.” For the full text.

Imereti. A lecture was delivered on January 18 in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center at the initiative of the "McLain Association for Children”, concerning the issues of inclusive education. The teachers of the day centers, schools and kindergartens have attended the meeting. As part of the training, the participants got familiar with dysfunctions of the development and emotional sphere of the persons with disabilities. The training will last four days.

Tbilisi. EU has selected 15 Georgian and European NGOs for implementing the projects. The actions planned as part of the projects aim to promote human rights, democratic reforms, rule of law and good governance by supporting the civil society. These organizations have won in the grant competition held in 2012 within the framework of the "European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights”. Overall volume of the grant amount is approximately 1,335,000 EUR. At the special ceremony held on January 17, the Deputy Head of the EC Delegation Boris Yaroshevich has presented 15 winner NGOs of the grant competition announced in March 2012 as part of the "European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights”. These are: Samtskhe-Javakheti based association "Tolerant”, Global Initiative in Psychiatry, the Georgian Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims, Guria Agro-Business Center, Civic Development Agency, Guria Youth Center, the Foundation "Accion Contra El Hambre ACF”, the Democracy Institute, Union „Step Forward", Association "Dea”, Confederation of Professional Unions of Georgia, Innovation and Reform Center, IDP Women’s Association "Consent”, Union of the Blind of Georgia, non-governmental organization "FARSA”. Source: eeas.europa.eu

Adjara. On January 17, the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association delivered a lecture in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center on the "Territorial-administrative arrangement of Georgia”. In addition, the issues related to the autonomies and self-governments under the legislation of Georgia were also discussed at the meeting. The speakers, Sulkhan Palavandishvili and Akaki Chagreishvili have discussed with the audience the issue of the Adjara Autonomous Republic and the occupied territories of Abkhazia in the context of integrity of Georgia. Local CSO and media representatives, as well as students have continued the lecture in the discussion regime.

Guria. The awarding ceremony of the first group of graduates of the Scholarship Program for Access to Learning English Language took place on January 17 in the Ozurgeti Civic Engagement Center. The Scholarship Program for Access to Learning English Language is implemented by the US organization PH-International and the "Guria Youth Resource Center” is its partner in Guria. This program was implemented in four cities of Georgia: Rustavi, Gori, Akhaltsikhe and Ozurgeti. It aims to make learning of the English language available to the youth from socially vulnerable and economically poor families. Learning course lasted two years and included 4 semesters from March 2011 to December 2012. 25 teenagers of the age of 14-18 years from socially vulnerable families have participated in the program. Along with the lessons in English, up to 10 extra events were held for them concerning the American culture, traditions, history and customs. Two summer camps were organized. Apart from learning English, children got familiar with the American culture and customs and developed leadership skills.

Adjara. On January 17, "Welfare Foundation” held an information meeting in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center with the local CSO and media representatives, which aimed at requesting the restriction of tobacco advertising and holding this campaign at the local level. According to the authors of the draft law, as direct as well as indirect advertising of tobacco use must be restricted. At the initiative of the Alliance, the advocacy of the rights of passive smokers has already been launched in Georgia. There is a need to carry out this campaign, because despite the fact that the Law to protect the rights of non-smokers was adopted in 2003, it has never been enforced. The project is funded by the East-West Management Institute.

Kakheti. The school-based civic club members of the Kakheti Region have visited the school of village Sabatlo of the Dedoplistskaro Municipality and presented the books to their peers for the school library. Village Sabatlo is located at the Georgia-Azerbaijan border and is quite distanced from all residential points. The Azerbaijani schoolchildren living there have difficulties in attaining good command of the Georgian language and integrating with peers. The initiative of the civic club members strove to solve this very problem – to upgrade the school library with Georgian books and establish close contacts with the schoolchildren of the Sabatlo School. The schoolchildren from various Kakheti-based schools have collected the miscellanea of works of fiction and visited the Sabatlo Public School. Further, the schoolchildren brought with them the inventory required for club work and presented the work of the civic club. The civic club members have shared their experience with peers. They talked about identifying problems in the school or community and searching for ways necessary to solve this problem. At the end of the meeting, the schools have planned joint activities. Source: civics.ge

Kvemo Kartli. A meeting with the guest was held on January 15 in the Civic Engagement Center, as part of the Civic Education Program. Georgian volunteer of SIQA, Dato Odikadze has appeared as a guest, who currently is the EVS Program volunteer in Romania. The meeting was rather interesting. Schoolchildren of the civic clubs and the guest have discussed issues of volunteerism, and the attending audience learned a lot about what it means to be a volunteer. Source: the organization's page in the social network.