Tbilisi. The Architects' Initiative Group addresses the Tbilisi Mayor nominees. "Prior to the self-government elections we would like to remind you of unjustified practice pursued in previous years in the city - majority of implemented projects does not meet the objectives and requirements of the city's spatial-territorial development. As a result, current situation in Tbilisi requires immediate assistance and remedying. We believe this is mostly caused because of incomplete integrated city development plan, frequent and unjustified amendments to it, and total ignorance of independent professional opinion," the appeal says. For the full text. Source: www.change.org

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post - "Georgian Co-Investment Fund’s 2014 projects: Further transparency needed”. "TI Georgia believes that it is important for GCF to publicly announce which individuals invest in GCF projects alongside Bidzina Ivanishvili. While GCF can achieve positive benefits for the Georgian economy and job creation. The level of transparency that we recommend GCF provides is important in order to attract investors, whether they wish to co-invest with the Fund or in a project that may be in competition with a GCF-backed project. Moreover, this openness will allow us, the public, and other investors to monitor the current government and the economy effectively", says the blog post. For the full text Source: transparency.ge  

Tbilisi. Non-Governmental Organizations released a statement. "It was reported in recent days that candidates of various opposition parties, who had declared about their participation in elections through party list or majoritarian seats, have been withdrawing their candidacies as a result of pressure. Various opposition parties talk about such facts and provide NGOs with relevant information. Victims mostly do not specify as to who was pressuring them. Substantial doubt arises that pressure on the opposition candidates aims to cancel registration the party lists, especially when similar facts set a kind of trend already. At this stage we are aware of such cases reported in ten districts of the five regions", says the statement. For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center responded to information disseminated by media and released the statement. "... Several information portals (including the agency  "Pirweli", topnews.mediamall.ge, pirveliradio.ge, newposts.ge) have disseminated misinformation based on the statement of organizer of one of the events planned by clerics and various public groups on 17 May 2014, Beka Tskhadadze, according to which "on May 29 up to ten CSOs, headed by the "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center", plan to organize a rally by the State Chancellery to celebrate the "IDAHO" day."The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) clearly denies the released information and urges Beka Tskhadadze to refrain from disseminating wrong facts and information and thus misleading the public," the statement says. For the full text. Source: emc.org.ge

Kakheti. A cycle of public lectures organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation continues in Telavi. The project aims to raise public awareness on the idea of equality.2 public lectures were delivered in the Telavi Media Cafe on May 28: Ida Bakhturi's "Why We Need Feminism Today" and Tamar Tskhadadze's "Antifeminism: Ignorance, Irresponsibility or Fight to Keep Privileges."

Tbilisi. The forum of Coalition "For Independent and Transparent Justice" was organized on May 28 in Tbilisi. Meeting participants have discussed problematic issues associated with the selection and appointment of judges in Georgia.The meeting was organized with support from the US Government. Source: GYLA's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Democratic Initiative, Media Development Fund and the Tolerance and Diversity Institute have released a joint statement. "We express great concern over the May 27 attack on Zurab Chiaberashvili and Nodar Ladaria and urge the authorities to investigate this fact timely and effectively, as well as to hold all offenders liable. At the same time, we call on every politician and public official to refrain from making comments containing hate language and encouraging the aggression," says the statement. For the full text Source: gdi.geCivil Society

Tbilisi. Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC) conducted a research of the national policies against drug crimes within the frameworks of a project funded by Open Society Georgia Foundation. Together with the analysis of declared drug policies, the research presents a review of recent practices and trends in criminal law against drug crimes. The aim of the research was also to review all the important political documents, legal regulations and practical aspects endorsed against drug crimes. The Research Source: emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers' Association released a statement. "We would like to respond to the information publicized by media, according to which, the United National Movement member, Zurab Chiaberashvili was attacked and physically assaulted. ...Such violent facts are unacceptable and require proper, timely and adequate response from the State.   Apart from including signs of crime, such actions increase tension in the pre-election period and imperil the conduct of the elections in the free and fair environment", says the statement. For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia published a blog post - "Water from offshores: who owns Georgian Water and Power?". For the full text Source: transparency.ge

Adjara. Public Council has organized a meeting on May23 in the conference hall of the Batumi Sakrebulo with the Infrastructure Service of the Batumi City Hall, at which the draft mid-term plan of the Batumi budget for 2015-2018 was discussed. Local population, members and leaders of the Public Council as well as CSO representatives have attended the meeting.

Tbilisi. Blog post of the Chairman of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association was posted on the web page of "This Affects You Too" campaign titled "Has anyone been punished for infringing upon others' private life?"."... We would like to address every official including MPs who previously were protecting human rights at their own will and currently doing the same is their direct obligation: persons in power have much stronger leverages for protecting human rights. Increased powers are accompanied by excessive responsibility as well. Obviously, the discussion over a dividing line between freedom of expression and the right to private life is extremely interesting. But in the current situation a much bigger priority is to hold those who created thousands of illegal recordings liable and to fully support the draft law (including the amended provisions), examination of which lacked quorum at the plenary session a week ago," says the blog post. For the full text. Source: esshengexeba.ge

Imereti. Training was delivered in "Civil Activism and Women's Political Participation" on May 22 for members of the Kutaisi Youth Center. Representatives of the Media Development Fund and the Constitutional Training Center have moderated the meeting. Training aimed to raise youth's awareness on women's political and civil rights and legislative guarantees for increased women participation in electoral processes.After the training, exhibition "Women from the Past - Example for the Future" initiated by the Media Development Fund was organized. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Natural Resources have published as part of the joint project a questionnaire on the plastic bags and their use. The questionnaire. Source: page of the Ministry of Environment in the social network.

Kakheti. At the initiative of the public union "Citizen Assembly", a meeting was organized in the Telavi Civic Engagement Center with the Telavi Mayor candidates.Representatives of CSOs and civil service, as well as students and interested citizens have attended the meeting. The city's mayor candidates have informed the audience about their election priorities.

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Economists of Georgia has released a statement in connection with the state program "Produce with Georgia". "It is important that the presented program does not experience same problems that the "Cheap Credit" program had suffered. Risks related to corruption (e.g. supporting an individual private entrepreneur with a corruption deal), failure by entrepreneurs to fulfill investment obligations, provision of low-quality consultation services, must be minimized. Further, we would like to present several issues that should be emphasized prior to launching the Program." For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

"International Center for Civic Culture" has organized discussions on May 21 in the Akhaltsikhe and Telavi Civic Engagement Centers over the local self-government reform and the significance of the self-government elections.The meetings were organized as part of the "Good Governance Georgia" Program under the aegis of the US Agency for International Development.Representatives of the "International Center for Civic Culture" have informed the attendees about amendments to the Self-Government Code, followed by a question-and-answer meeting.Similar meetings will be held as part of the project in 26 cities.

Tbilisi. Institute for Development of Freedom of Information addresses to Sozar Subari. "Please, be informed that on February 11, 2014 IDFI addressed to the Penitentiary Department with the request of 17 types of public information, including the data about the bonuses, surpluses and business trip costs of Penitentiary Department in 2013. Unfortunately, the FOIA officer of the institution failed to fulfill his/her commitments and ignored our request". IDFI appeals to the Ministry of Corrections, to ensure the fulfillment of the commitments of the sub-agency – Probation Department within its competence. For the full text... Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Web page WWW.PARTIEBI.GE was put to operation ahead of the elections, which aims to facilitate the informed political debate and discussion over issues of concern to the public ahead of the 15 June 2014 self-government elections.To this end, NIMD has offered the election entities and mayor candidates participating in the elections to answer questions about urgent and key issues. Election entities/mayor candidates could provide answers of equal capacity - maximum of 250 words - to each question.Through this web page it is possible to get familiar with the visions of individual election entities as well as mayor candidates and compare them. Social media applications will enable you to initiate your own discussion, and easily promote and discuss issues of interest to you. Web page: WWW.PARTIEBI.GE Source: partiebi.ge

Tbilisi. Institute For Development for Freedom of Information published a blog post - "How the Budget of the Parliament will be increased?”. "According to the latest news in media, the budget of the Parliament of Georgia for the next fiscal year will be 54,695,000 GEL which exceeds the current amount with 2 million GEL. As the First Deputy Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Nodar Ebanoidze stated, added amount will be spent on increasing the basic salary and renewal of the vehicles". For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a statement - "The Georgian Government should not reproach TV Maestro for its critical TV report”. "The Government of Georgia released a statement criticizing a TV report that aired on May 18 on Maestro in a TV show hosted by journalist Vakho Sanaia. The statement says that the TV report was biased as the journalist attempted to prove that the Government had not kept up to any of its pre-election promises. ...We think that this can be assessed as an attempt of the Government to interfere in the editorial policy of a critical media outlet. In a country where media is free, independent media should not be attacked for its criticism of government', says the statement. For the full  text Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. According to the information posted on the web site, CSO Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center will defend the interests of plaintiff over the constitutionality of punishment foreseen for the drug-related crime. "On 5 May 2014, with the assistance from the Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), EMC's staff member Beka Tsikarishvili has addressed the Constitutional Court. ... In the plaintiff's opinion, the sanction stipulated in this norms violates the right to equality, prohibition of application of severe punishment and a person's free development guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia, based on which he requests finding the disputed norm unconstitutional. EMC will defend the interests of the plaintiff in the Constitutional Court." For the full text. Source:emc.org.ge