Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia continues monitoring the staff policy issues in the public service and will release a study on this topic in the near future. On January 17 the organization has released a statement concerning the dismissal of employees from public institutions after the parliamentary elections. The statement says that "in many public institutions quite a large number of persons have already lost their jobs and this process still continues. Dismissals take place as in the capital, as well as in the regions." The statement examines the dismissal trends and concrete examples. It also provides recommendations. For the full text. Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The "Coalition for Independent and Transparent Justice" echoes the draft law developed by the Ministry of Justice concerning the regulations of examination of cases of high public interest by the jury trials. In respect of these issues the Coalition released the statement and addressed the Parliament. The Coalition's Address. Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Liberty Institute welcomes the initiative of the Government to apply the right to jury trials to the cases of high officials. "This initiative is a step forward towards building the legal state in Georgia, however, in order to achieve the goal of the reform – realization of the right to impartial and fair court and increasing the public trust towards the justice process – the draft requires improvement," says the statement of the Liberty Institute. In its statement the Liberty Institute discusses concrete initiatives in this regard. For the full text. Source: liberty.ge  

Adjara. On December16, the Employers' Association of Georgia held a meeting in the Batumi Civic Engagement Center, at which it informed local businessmen about the amendments to be made to the Labor Code of Georgia. Pursuant to this draft law, the employer shall be tried under the Criminal Code and be sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment if s/he forces the employee to write a letter of resignation. This part of the Code was discussed by the attending audience. Representatives of local business sector found this object of change as vague and partly unacceptable. In addition, the Employers' Association of Georgia also confirms that the draft law contains numerous flaws and requires clarifications.

Imereti. NGO "Alliance for Tobacco Control in Georgia" held the informative meeting on January 16 in the Kutaisi Civic Engagement Center. Meeting participants have discussed the issues of enforcement of the Law on the Tobacco Control, what does secondhand smoking mean, how should the persons be protected from secondhand smoke, as well as the issues of enforcement of the law concerning the prohibition of smoking in public places and transport. "We have increasing statistics – use of tobacco among young girls in Georgia over last 7 years has increased by approximately 2.5 times. Approximately every fourth person dies of the tobacco-caused diseases. Today 40% of the Georgian population use tobacco. We worked for a long period of time in this respect, developed the legislative base, but have witnessed serious obstacles in terms of enforcing this law. In this case, the tobacco industry significantly prevents the enforcement of the law. State authorities are obligated to administer the ban on smoking the tobacco. We demand that not only the police but other organizations also control the rules of tobacco use. We also demand to fully ban tobacco advertising," - said the head of the organization "Alliance for Tobacco Control in Georgia" Giorgi Bakhturidze. The schoolchildren, students and NGO sector representatives have participated in the meeting that rolled out in an interactive regime.

Adjara. On January 16, a public discussion was held at the initiative of the Batumi Civic Engagement Center, at which the Adjara Department for Environment and Natural Resources has unveiled the action plan for 2013. The meeting aimed at ensuring the transparency of activities of this Department and participation of citizens in these activities. Presentation of the action plan resulted in a discussion, at which the Department has responded to questions of local CSOs, media and the population interested in the raised issue. Head of the Department for Environment and Natural Resources of the Adjara AR, as well as the representatives of civil society, local CSOs and media have participated in the discussion.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has conducted the study for determining the state strategy of assisting the digital broadcasting. Information contained in the study is based on the European legislation, practice and interpretation of the EC that are realized as in the practice of the EU member states, as well as in the digitalization strategies of other European countries. The study in addition covers the ways of funding of the broadcasting field operators by the state. Recommendations on "Determining the State Strategy of Assisting the Digital Broadcasting". Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The "ZazaDaraseli Fund" will use 200 thousand GEL received from the President's Fund for the development of cultural media - told the Head of the "ZazaDaraseli Fund", Nino Daraseli to Media.Ge. According to Daraseli, in several days the Fund will announce the grant for cultural projects. "These can be performances, attractions, exhibition space, multimedia project. Grants will be issues as to the social media, as well as print and other types of media outlets," - Daraseli said. For the full text. Source:media.ge

Tbilisi. As part of the Policy, Advocacy and the Civil Development in Georgia Program (G-PAC), the East-West Management Institute has produced the video guide on advocacy for CSOs. What is advocacy? What tools can be used for the advocacy campaign? How can the set objectives and results be achieved? Short video films will assist CSOs in practical advocacy activities. Each video reflects the successful advocacy campaign carried out by various Georgian CSOs. The video disseminated at this stage describes the advocacy campaign carried out by Batumi-based CSO "Borjghali" on the topic of eco-migrants. The Advocacy Campaign. Source: ewmi-gpac.org

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Lawyers' Association echoed the dissemination of video materials and released the statement. It states that "recording, collecting and storing of video materials that depict the private lives of individuals by the state, which do not relate to such individuals' criminal activities, is a clearly unjustified action containing crime elements... according to the disseminated information, similar actions were of mass character and were probably organized by a high official." GYLA believes that dissemination of video materials by the state in this form violates the necessary safeguards for protecting a private life, which contradicts the standards set by Article 8 of the European Convention. GYLA calls on media outlets to stop airing these video materials and not to allow in the future the dissemination of video materials depicting private lives of individuals in the general public in a similar form. Further, GYLA urges the investigation to show special prudence in the future towards dissemination of information, which may infringe upon the inviolability of private life or other rights. For the full text. Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" has released the statement after the dissemination of secret video-recordings by the media. "Transparency International – Georgia" calls on the "Prosecutor's Office to protect the rights and dignity of persons in the recordings when carrying out the proceedings, as well as not to allow the recognition of these persons by the general public. The Government must secure the constitutional right of private inviolability of every citizen regardless of their sexual orientation. We ask the journalists and media outlets to cover this topic by high professional standards and not to allow disclosing their identity. In addition, we urge the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to refrain from publicizing any kind of secret recordings, unless they address an extremely important public interest." For the full text. Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Media Development Fund expresses concern about the provision of video recordings to the media by the Tbilisi Prosecutor's Office, which is in connection with the criminal case initiated against the former leadership of the Military Police Department of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia. For the full text. Source: mdfgeorgia.ge

Tbilisi. The association "LGBT Georgia" has released the statement on January 15 concerning the dissemination of video materials by the Prosecutor's Office on January 14. The organization expressed concern over the recording and subsequent dissemination of these shots. "Video materials clearly demonstrate that the fundamental right of private life as granted and safeguarded by the Constitution, was breached," – says the statement. The addressees of this statement of the organization are the President, Prime Minister, Public Defender and the General Prosecutor of Georgia. For the full text. Source: lgbt.ge

Imereti. The "Free Professional Union of Education and Science of Georgia" has held a meeting on January15 in Kutaisi in the Civic Engagement Center. The discussion mainly concerned the rehabilitation of the organization and the future plans, as well as the essence and purpose of the professional union, and the structure and management of the democratic union. "We started reviving structural units in the cities and regions and have new visions. We start attracting the teachers, already have active members. We would like to inform them about the initiatives we have submitted to the new authorities, so that the teachers' rights that had been violated for such a long time now improve," said the President of the "Free Professional Union of Education and Science of Georgia" Maia Kobakhidze. Notably, the organization has suspended its activities in 2010.

Tbilisi. Video tips were uploaded for the grant competition participants on the page of East-West Management Institute in the social network. The tips posted on the page of the Policy, Advocacy and Civil Society Development Program in Georgia will assist those who intend to draft project proposals. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Adjara. The association of elderly women "Deserving Old Age" has presented to the beneficiaries and general public a video report. The report posted in the organization's social network depicts the activities of the project "Social Center for the Elderly" (donor - EU) for the last three months. The video report built on the photo-collage reflects the materials on the issues of concern to the helpless elderly, consultations, charity events, seminars, and trainings. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" releases weekly audio podcasts, where it reviews the most interesting events developing in the country's chief legislative body. Topics of the January 14 podcast include: enactment of the Law on the Amnesty, issue of the politically persecuted persons, discussion of constitutional amendments in the Parliament, time-frames of dismissing the Parliament, gap in the Law on the Public Service. Podcast of Parliamentary News: 14. Source: transparency.ge Tbilisi. "Transparency International – Georgia" releases weekly audio podcasts, where it reviews the most interesting events developing in the country's chief legislative body. Topics of the January 14 podcast include: enactment of the Law on the Amnesty, issue of the politically persecuted persons, discussion of constitutional amendments in the Parliament, time-frames of dismissing the Parliament, gap in the Law on the Public Service. Podcast of Parliamentary News: 14. Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Georgian Charter of Journalistic Ethics calls on the information means to immediately stop disseminating the video materials, which secretly depict the private lives of the sexual minority representatives. These materials were handed over to the media outlets on January 14 by the Chief Prosecutor's Office. The Council of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics reminds to media representatives Article 7 of the Charter, pursuant to which "journalists should be aware of the threat of fostering the discrimination by media; therefore, s/he should undertake all efforts to avoid the discrimination of any person due to the race, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political and other beliefs, ethnic or social origin or any other grounds." In addition, the Council of the Charter of Journalistic Ethics addresses the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Georgia to pay more attention to publicizing of secretly recorded materials, especially if the video materials contain information on the private life of individuals. For the full text. Source:media.ge

Kakheti. The contest of the Small Grants Program of the Democracy Commission announced by the US Embassy was discussed in Telavi, in the hall of the Central Library. Public Relations Department of the US Embassy administers the Program. Maximum amount of the grant is 24,000 USD and the Georgia-based non-commercial, non-governmental, educational and media organizations are eligible to participate. Representatives of NGOs, educational institutions and media outlets have participated in the meeting held in the library. According to the Grant Programs Coordinator of the US Embassy SopioGegechkori, "the Public Relations Department" of the US Embassy annually announces the Small Grants Program for the Development of Democracy, about the terms of which we held the informative meeting in Telavi with the representatives of local NGOs, media and educational institutions. The contest topics of the current year's Program are the activation and increased participation of the civil society, informing the population about election processes, promoting the development of media organizations and the participation-activation of the youth. These are the 4 major topics that the applications will be submitted for."

Guria. At the initiative of the members of the Youth Center functioning with the Union of Young Teachers, the organization's presentation hall has hosted the charity exhibition-sale of the dishes and handcraft new year's accessories of various cultures. Traditional dishes of various countries and Georgia were presented at the event. The pillows, table clothes and fir-tree toys decorated with new year applications were notable among the accessories prepared by the youngsters. The ethnic minority representatives from six communities have participated in the event. The event was vigorously supported by the Public Schools of Naruji, Laituri and Nasakirali. The event aimed to assist the residents of the elderly house in Anaseuli, and accordingly the generated amount will be transferred to their account.

Tbilisi. The authors of legislative initiative and interested persons have gathered in the National Library to discuss the financial transparency of activities of the Public Broadcaster, increased responsibility of the Public Broadcaster's Supervisory Board and granting the status of the Public Broadcaster to the Adjara Television. The meeting was held on January 10 at the initiative of the Coalition for Media Advocacy. The procedure of staffing the Supervisory Board has caused harsh debates, taking up the most of the time. Pursuant to the draft law, the number of members of the Supervisory Board should reduce from 15 to 9, out of which 3-3 members will be elected from the quotes of the parliamentary majority and minority, who will be approved by the majority of the Parliament, and 2 members will be nominated by the Public Defender. The 9th candidate will be automatically the representative of the Adjara Television. According to the amendments, the Board members will have to win the support of the majority of the Parliament. Part of the discussion participants disagreed with the idea that the Board candidates must be elected by the quotes of the political groups. In their opinion, this will further increase the influence of politicians over the Public Broadcaster. Whereas. according to the authors of the draft law, the Board cannot be totally protected from political influence, as it is elected by the Parliament. They believe that the members appointed by the Public Defender will secure the independence of the Board. For the full text. Source:www.media.ge

Guria. On January 11, the Ozurgeti Civic Engagement Center has organized the discussion "Transparency and Publicity" - meeting of the heads of law-enforcement agencies with the public. Leading officials of the Ozurgeti District Prosecutor's Office and the Guria Chief Regional Department, as well as the CSO representatives, attorneys and journalists have participated in the discussion. Discussion participants have debated on the transparency of law-enforcement agencies and the problems of access to public information.