Tbilisi. The "Young Economists’ Association” echoes the strike of workers in the Kazreti mine going on since February 14. The "Association believes it is time for the parties to use the right to appoint a mediator, because further prolongation of dispute significantly damages both parties. Further, we call on the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Welfare of Georgia to effectively discharge its legal obligations in order to timely end the dispute by taking into maximum account the interests of both parties. We consider the state must apply new regulations of the Labor Code, thus demonstrating its efficiency or need for relevant amendments as at legislative as well as at enforcement levels,” says the released statement. For the full text. Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On February 28 the Public Defender has met with the CSO representatives actively working on the conflict resolution and transformation of conflicts. Meeting participants have discussed the new initiatives of the Public Defender and opinions of the civil society representatives on the Ombudsman’s role in the resolution of conflicts.At the initiative of Ucha Nanuashvili, the Ombudsman’s office has enhanced its activities focusing on human rights in the regions affected by conflicts. To this end, the position of the Ombudsman’s advisor on the human rights in conflicting regions was created. Ucha Nanuashvili has introduced to the audience Medea Turashvili, who occupies this office since February 2014. Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Article 42 of the Constitution” has submitted to the Parliament of Georgia the opinions on secret investigative actions, in respect of amendments to be made to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia. The organization "welcomes the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Georgia and other legislative acts on the secret investigative actions.” For the full text Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The renewed opendata.ge has been launched on February 27, 2014. The portal serves to improve level of transparency and accountability of the government. Opendata.ge provides information on how state institutions operate, how they spend public funds and fulfill state targeted programs, as well as performance of public servants and their incomes and benefits to the public. By the initiative of OSGF, opendata.ge has been transformed into a single portal of NGOs involved in promoting freedom of information and since now, it will unite public information requested and collected by Institute for Development and Freedom of Information (IDFI), Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA), Transparency International - Georgia (TI-G) and Association "Green Alternative”. Source:opendata.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Green Alternative” has released publication "Russian Energy-Giant and Lobbyists of Khudonhesi”. For the full text. Source: greenalt.org

Tbilisi. Debates on "What will the self-government reform bring for the Georgian democracy?” were held on February 26 in the Heinrich Boll Foundation. Prior to that, the Foundation has organized similar debates in the regions. Chairman of the Board of the Center for Local Democracy Network Davit Losaberidze, Executive Director of the Regional Development Center Lizi Sopromadze and the First Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia Tengiz Shergelashvili have participated in the meeting. Recording of the debates. Source: the organization’s page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Institute for the Development of Freedom of Information has organized a round table on February26 in the "Holiday Inn” Hotel on the "Proactive Publication of Public Information”. Representatives of the President’s Administration, ministries, Legal Entities of Public Law and CSOs have participated in the event. Meeting participants have discussed the progress of introduction of electronic requirement and proactive publication of public information in Georgia. Current practices pursued in this regard in Georgia were presented. Round table participants have discussed the access to public information and fulfillment of obligations undertaken as part of the "Open Governance Partnership”. Source: the Institute's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The magazine "Analytical Digest of Post-Soviet Politics” was presented on February26 in the office of the "Open Society – Georgia” Foundation.The magazine is published at the initiative of the "Center for Post-Soviet Studies” and its chief objective is to analyze the political, economic and social processes developing in the post-Soviet area. The magazine allows students to bring their opinions to a wider society.

Tbilisi. The "Tolerance and Diversity Institute” and the "Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center” have launched a joint study aimed at probing into the scale and expediency of finances and other material goods transferred by the state to the Georgian Orthodox Church and other religious organizations in 2013 and the beginning of 2014. For the full text. Source:tdigeorgia.wordpress.com

Tbilisi. Publications published as a result of grant competitions organized as part of the Policy, Advocacy and Civil Society Development in Georgia Program of the East-West Management Institute are available on the organization’s web page. In particular, studies are available on inter-cultural education, visa liberalization, agriculture, etc. The analytical research database. Source: the Program's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Media Development Fund and the Georgian Democratic Initiative have released a joint statement on the publication of newspaper "Prime Time". For the full text. Source: the organization's page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Transparency International Georgia released a blog post - "Ban on land sales - stories from large foreign farmers”. "The government cannot continue to exclude foreign companies and the finance, skills and training they can bring to the Georgian agricultural sector; it should harness these to its best advantage through a robust land ownership policy", says the blog post. For the full text  Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. Chairman of the Bar Association Zaza Khatiashvili has released a statement concerning the detention of attorney Giorgi Oniani. The statement. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. On February 21 CSO "Young Constitutionalists" has celebrated the 93rd anniversary of the first Constitution of the Georgian democratic republic with an event. The organization's members have organized a rally near the Youth Palace on the Rustaveli Avenue and presented the 1921 Constitution of Georgia to the population.

Kvemo Kartli. On February 19-20 a training, organized by the NGO „Sida”, was held in the Centre of Rustavi Democratic Activity. The aim of the event was to encourage active citizenship and volunteerism. Source: Web-page of the organization in social network.

Tbilisi. The Georgian Young Economists' Association echoes the resolution on the "Rural Aid Program" approved by the Government of Georgia on February 20.The organization welcomes novelties that the Program includes and believes that "changes will increase the efficiency of the "Rural Aid Program" ... For years our organization works together with partners on enhancing the efficiency of this Program. There are numerous problems throughout the Program implementation." In its statement the organization discusses problems in detail and expresses readiness "to actively cooperate with the Ministry and all interested organizations in order to improve the Program and increase the efficiency of the Program to the maximum extent." Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. Over 50 European CSOs, research institutes or analysts sign the appeal on developments in Ukraine. Initiators of the appeal published on February 20 are the Georgian Reforms Association and the Georgian Strategic Research Institute. The appeal. Source: Radio "Liberty".

Tbilisi. The Youth Parliament of Georgia has reacted to the incident that occurred in the legislative body on February 19."The Youth Parliament of Georgia believes that allowing such precedents in the legislative body is unacceptable. In light of this, the Code of Ethics adopted in the Parliament of Georgia in 2004 must be definitely revised and tangible mechanisms must be developed, which in case of similar facts will impose sanctions on the Georgian MPs," says the statement published on the organization's web page in the social network. Source: web page of the Youth Parliament of Georgia in the social network.

Tbilisi. In June 2013, the Parliament passed a temporary legal ban restricting non-Georgian citizens (including Georgian entities with a foreign minority shareholders – "foreigners”) from purchasing or inheriting agricultural land until December 2014— this ban has now been amended.TI Georgia challenged this ban in September 2013 for being vaguely worded, discriminatory, unconstitutional – and likely to have a negative effect on the development of the agricultural sector. TI Georgia’s case, Mathias Huter v Parliament of Georgia, was heard by the Constitutional Court in January 2014 and a judgment is currently awaited. "This temporary ban was justified by the government as necessary to give themselves time, "to develop a uniform state policy on agricultural land ownership and organize an integrated land cadastre by December 2013”, as stipulated in the then law. The government has missed this deadline and is now seeking to extend this deadline to 30th November 2014 in the new draft law". For the full text Source:transparency.ge

Tbilisi. CSO "Young Barristers" has organized a legal conference on the Khudonhesi Project with participation of human rights activists. Representatives of CSOs, executive authorities and business have participated in the conference. For the full text. Source: the organization's web page in the social network.

Tbilisi. The Coalition for "Media Advocacy" echoes the draft legislative amendments on switchover to digital broadcasting adopted by the Parliament of Georgia through expedited procedures. Amendments are made to the Laws on the "Electronic Communications" and "Licenses and Permits". For the full text (geo) Source: media.ge

Tbilisi. Transparency International – Georgia has released a publication: "Priorities of the 2012-2014 Budgets of Georgia: Analysis and Recommendations", authored by MikheilKukava. For the full text. Source: transparency.ge