Tbilisi. Institute for Development of freedom of information released a statement about the single standard for remuneration and bonuses. "As announced at the briefing held in the Chancellery of the Government of Georgia on May 19th 2014, under instruction of Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Gharibashvili, the government will develop a common rule for remuneration and bonuses. ...IDFI welcomes the planned changes. ...institute believes it to be important that the change of remuneration and bonus system of public officials is implemented within the scope of Civil Service Reform, rather than as a single instance. The reform should define system of civil service, classification of civil service, rule of working at civil service in accordance with career principle, guarantees of social protection for civil servants, system of education, training and retraining of civil servants. Only such systematic approach will ensure establishment of modern model of civil service in Georgia", says the statement. For the full text Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Green Alternative" has released a statement on natural processes taking place in the Dariali Valley. "Unfortunately, these days media disseminates misinforming statements of representatives of the Georgian Government concerning allegedly the position of environmentalists that the hydro power stations that are built in the Dariali Valley have caused a landslide from the Devdoraki glacier. With these statements they try to conceal number of irresponsible and potentially corruption decisions made during the approval and implementation of these projects... A natural disaster of May 17 has clearly demonstrated deplorable results that an incomplete environmental impact assessment and the irresponsible decisions of the authorities may bring about. Projects ignoring environmental conditions and focusing on maximum economic profit only overall damage not only the natural and social environment, but trigger grave economic damages as well," says the statement. For the full text. Source: greenalt.org

Tbilisi. Jumpstart Georgia published a visualization on International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. "Up to 50 LGBT activists organizing a rally for the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia were attacked by thousands of people, priests among them, in Tbilisi on May 17, 2013. As a result, 30 people were injured, 4 people fined with 100 Lari. 2 clergymen were accused by the Criminal Code of Georgia. One was found not guilty, while the second case is still in the court.In the survey which was conducted shortly after the event, 91% of Tbilisi residents said that they think everyone should be equal before the law. However, 57% also noted, that those clergymen who took part in the May 17 confrontations should not face trial". The visualization  Source:feradi.info

Tbilisi. Organization the "Young Barristers” demand implementation of new legal regulations and transparency of funds received from damaged and malfunctioning elevators in high rise buildings. Organization released a statement about the topic. For the full text Source: barristers.ge

Kakheti. The Kakheti Bureau of the NATO and EU Information Center has organized an information meeting in the Telavi Media Cafe as part of the European Week.Schoolchildren of the Telavi-based public schools and volunteers of CSO "Telavi Education, Development and Employment Center” have attended the meeting.Toma Chagelishvili’s documentary about the EU was shown at the meeting, followed by a discussion. Youngsters have asked questions on issues of interest to them, and the Head of the Kakheti Bureau of the Information Center has provided exhaustive answers.

Kakheti. A new program of the Telavi Democracy School was presented in the Telavi State University.The NIMD Democracy School has presented an intensive education program designed for representatives of local authorities, non-governmental sector, media, political parties, academic circles, successful students and active citizens interested in the issues of modern democracy.

Tbilisi. The Association of Young Economists of Georgia reacted to the initiative of Prime Minister Gharibashvili on the formation of the list of objects of special importance and released a statement. "We find that early and incomplete publicizing of this initiative is not justified and includes a negative signal for existing potential investors... We call on the Government of Georgia to make a timely explanation on the initiative in order to avoid alarming the investors and to involve business groups and CSOs in the development and discussion of the second draft Law,” says the statement. For the full text Source: the Association of Young Economists of Georgia.

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released a statement in the social network. "In the Parliamentary Committees for Economic Policy and Defense the MPs have examined at the first hearing and supported the package of legislative amendments, which, in case of adoption will bring progressive changes to the norms regulating secret surveillance and wiretapping. The civil society representatives involved in "This Affects You Too – They Are Still Listening” campaign have also participated in the work of the Committees.” The last hearing on the draft Law is planned in the Legal Affairs Committee, following which the draft Law will be voted on at the plenary session. Package of legislative amendments Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Studio "Re” has released the film: "Public Initiative – Jvari Municipality”. The film is about the initiative of the rural population of the town of Jvari in the Tsalenjikha Municipality and its adjacent villages. "The population sees the separation from the Tsalenjikha Municipality and formation of an independent unit as a way out from the grave socio-economic problems. They think that the finances and labor in the Tsalenjikha and Jvari zones in the Municipality are not distributed fairly,” says the film promo. The film. Source: page of the Open Society - Georgia Foundation in the social network.

Tbilisi. Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association; Transparency International – Georgia; International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy; Open Society – Georgia Foundation and Civil Development Agency released a statement. "On May 13, the draft law, initiated and elaborated by the Parliamentarians - Gia Zhorzholiani and Vakhtang Khmaladze, was registered at the bureau session. It is planned to consider the draft law through the accelerated procedures. The draft law invalidates the February-enacted provision in the law on the "Civil Service”, which entailed dismissing public servants after the next local self-government elections. We welcome the initiation of such a draft law and call upon the Members of the Parliament to support it, for avoiding the violation of the labor rights of the public servants following the local self-government elections", says the statement. For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Kakheti. A public lecture on "Woman in Christianity: Eve or Mary" was delivered in the Telavi Media Cafe. Students and representatives of public school-based civic clubs and CSOs have attended the meeting.Tata Tsopurashvili, Doctor of Philosophy, trainer: "The lecture is about understanding a woman's role under the Christianity doctrine from the first centuries A.D. until the modern times. What the existing concepts on the social role of a woman were based on what were the reasons of its modification." The meeting was organized by the "Heinrich Boll Foundation".

Kakheti. The Heinrich Boll Foundation continues with a cycle of public lectures in Telavi. A public lecture titled "Who is afraid of a fateful woman" was delivered in the Telavi Media Cafe. TeoKhatiashvili, cinema expert: "A common title of the project is "Who Is Afraid of Feminism in Georgia". Public lectures aim at raising public awareness on the idea of equality. At today's lecture we have reviewed the so-called fateful woman, as a history of a strong archetypal formation, which in the cinema (especially in the Hollywood of classical period) will become one of the most popular faces. In addition, we discussed her features and the phobias concealed in the patriarchal culture that she will reveal. We have discussed these issues at the example of fragments from several movies."

Tbilisi. Organizations Involved in the Campaign "This Affects You Too” released a statement. "We believe that today, as never before, the efforts of all the stakeholders are important to create such a modern system of eavesdropping and surveillance in Georgia, which excludes violating the private life of persons and publication of a private information on the motives of citizen safety", says the statement. For the full text Source:gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The "Pedestrians' Art Project" announces an art project for artists working in Georgia. "Would you like to contribute to developing public spaces? The "Pedestrians' Art Project" is a wonderful opportunity for placing your art in the Tbilisi streets, responding to existing problems and making the pedestrian culture more attractive for citizens." The applications can be submitted through May 20. For the full text. Source: page of "Walk" in the social network.

Tbilisi. On April 17, 2014, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) with the assistance of Media Advocacy Coalition published a survey "Georgian TV Audience Rating – Challenges for Media Sector of Georgia.” Institute released a statement about the presentation. "The goal of the survey, its presentation and the discussion thereto was to review internationally recognized TV rating measurement standards, to compare practices of several countries, to overview positive and negative practices in Georgia and to develop recommendations through participation of involved and interested in the issue parties. Presentation and a discussion were planned in a format of the work meeting. This is why media was not invited to make coverage of the event. Unfortunately, the issue was politicized and wrongfully interpreted without substantial review and study of findings of the survey; we think that it will once again hinder resolution of problems surrounding TV ratings", says the statement. For the full text Source:idfi.ge

Samtskhe-Javakheti. CSO "Union of Democrat Meskhetians" has developed with partner organizations the draft resolution of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality Sakrebulo. In case the draft is adopted, the Deputy elected by the population will be obligated to present to his/her electorate a report every 6 months on implemented and planned activities, etc. In order for this draft resolution to be initiated at the Sakrebulo session by means of the petition procedure, signatures of 1% of voters residing within the Municipality are required. The organization calls on the public to sign the petition. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Non-Governmental Organizations released a statement. "We are concerned with the homophobic evaluations made by the Minister of the Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees, Davit Darakhvelidze, during the interview with the newspaper "Versia” on May 9.The evaluations made by the Minister, calling the LGBT persons to be "sick” and have "sexual deviations” provokes hatred towards the LGBT community and does not correspond to the universally recognized medical and legal approaches towards the persons who have different sexual identity, which recognize the supreme value of each human being and are based on the universal principle of protection of their rights", says the statement. For the full text Source:emc.org.ge

Tbilisi. 12 Non governmental Organizations released the Summary Evaluation on the Anti-Discrimination Law. "It is unfortunate, that despite the principled request of up to 40 non-governmental and religious organizations, as well as the Ombudsman, neither the Parliament nor the Government have introduced the fining mechanisms into the law, which would have been a significant contribution to the effective elimination of all forms of discrimination. It is regrettable, that without informing the civil society, the Government of Georgia has changed and significantly weakened the progressive draft law, prepared by the Ministry of Justice through the broad-scale public involvement. It is also notable, that unforeseen amendments were made to the draft law by the Parliament, during its second hearing at the plenary session; under this amendment, the public order and morality were named to be legitimate goals in the definition of the discrimination", says the statement. For the full text Source: gyla.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information and the Tax Payers’ Union have organized a round table on May 8 over: "Role of the state enterprises in the development of agriculture”. Meeting participants have presented the review analysis of state enterprises operating in the field of agriculture, followed upon by the discussion. The event was organized as part of the "Public Policy, Advocacy and the Civil Society Development in Georgia” program (G-PAC) of the East-West Management Institute. For the full text (geo) Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The founding assembly of the "Georgian Rural Parliament” was held on May 7. Prior to electing the Chair of the Georgian Rural Parliament, four candidates from the Kvareli, Khashuri, Lanchkhuti and Senaki Municipalities have presented their visions. As a result of secret ballot Nino Mshvidobadze from the Lanchkhuti Municipality was elected as the Chair of the Rural Parliament. Over 100 delegates from various municipalities have attended the event. The assembly was organized by the international association Civitas Georgica, Czech CSO Agora CE and the Public Research Center. Source: civitas.ge

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition released a statement concerning the special statement of the CEO of Rustavi 2. "Coalition believes that creating the barriers to the work of the media outlets, moreover, through secret surveillance and eavesdropping, is absolutely unacceptable for the democratic society. ...Media Advocacy Coalition calls on the relevant authorities to provide the immediate and unbiased investigation of the Rustavi 2 case", says the statement. For the full text Source:idfi.ge

Tbilisi. Non Governmetal Organizations held a presentation of the platform - No to Phobia! The purpose of the platform of non-governmental organisations "No To Phobia!” To enable non-governmental organisations close cooperation to eliminate expressions of all forms of discrimination and hate speech in Georgian politics and media space. For the full text Source:notophobia.org