Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia echoes the return of Mikheil Saakashvili to Penitentiary Establishment No. 12. “The Public Defender’s representatives obtained medical records and talked to the facility’s doctor and administration, who noted that no ill-treatment had taken place during the transfer. The Public Defender believes that the state council should be actively involved in the process of managing Mikheil Saakashvili's health condition and the recommendations issued by the Public Defender’s group of experts should be implemented“. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Racha-Lechkhumi. Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo-Svaneti Regional Hub - Fund "AIC" organized the meeting with the representatives of newly-established regional CSOs. The invited mentors from the well-established and successful CSOs shared their achievements, main challenges and experience. The meeting aims to strengthen civil society as an independent, transparent and accountable actor across Georgia.  The meetings were organised within the framework of the EU and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung funded project “Civil Society STAR Initiative”. Read more… Source: Project page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Bureau of the Parliament of Georgia has supported enactment of the procedure for an expedited review of the bill on amendments to the Code of Georgia on Spatial Planning, Architectural and Construction Activities (despite the fact that the initiator - the Government of Georgia - does not request an expedited review of the bill in the explanatory note). Acceleration of the process precluded an in-depth analysis of all consequences of proposed changes, which procedure is a requirement following to urban planning issues due to specificity of proposed changes and the field. Besides, specialists of the field, activists, and environmentalists were not involved in the process of drafting of intended changes, neither were they consulted about necessity of elaboration of changes and goals of the Government in case these changes become law... Signatory organizations release a detailed appraisal of the submitted bill and consider that turning the bill into law may cause irreversible damage to the environment of the country, health and life of people, development opportunities for settlements and municipalities, as well as severely harm public interests. Read more… Source: civilin.org

The web portal CsoGeorgia.org releases a weekly newsletter of grants competition, contests, vacancies, fellowships, and tenders for civil society organizations, and for any interested person. Newsletter...

Tbilisi. On the 27th of December, an online discussion was held on challenges of diversity and the work of the Public Defender's Office. “During the discussion, Deputy Public Defender of Georgia, Eka Skhiladze spoke about the specifics of their activities and the existing challenges in terms of minorities. The project "Enhancing Ethnic Minority Agenda" is supported by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Georgia”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social page

Tbilisi. According to the information of the IDFI, The formal basis for the liquidation of the Memorial was the accusation of the Prosecutor's Office of violating the mandatory labeling of a "foreign agent" by the organization, which occurred more than a year ago. “For over 10 years, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has been actively cooperating with Memorial in the directions of Soviet and Memory studies as well as in researching Stalinist repressions. IDFI fully supports its partner”. Learn more… Source: idfi.ge

Shida Kartli. On December 12, 2021, the representatives of Shida Kartli Regional Hub - Society Biliki and #STARInitiative met Gori City Mayor Vladimer Khinchegashvili. The meeting participants introduced the Mayor the key objectives and activities of STAR project. Moreover, they discussed the prospect cooperation perspectives. Read more… Source: The project page on the social page

Tbilisi. EU Delegation responds to expedited procedures in the Georgian Parliament relating to the State Inspector's Service and the Judiciary. “The State Inspector’s Service is Georgia’s independent mechanism for investigating ill-treatment and abuse of power committed by law enforcement officials and is thus a key institution for a well-functioning democracy and for the protection of human rights. The European Union was engaged in the creation of this Service and has invested substantial financial and human resources in its development. We are, therefore, very disappointed to see these actions, and regret the fact that it has not proved possible for EU representatives to engage with the Parliament on this matter," stated Asunción Sánchez Ruiz, the acting Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia. Learn more… Source: eeas.europa.eu

Tbilisi. In the framework of the training program “Georgia's future civil service leaders,” the Rondeli Foundation organized a series of lectures at the Tbilisi Marriott. “The project is designed to support Georgia’s civil servants on the career ladder by deepening their knowledge and enhancing their skills in the field of security and policy analysis”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Shida kartli. On December 28, 2021, Shida Kartli Regional Hub - Society Biliki hosted the information meeting with youth who would like to become members of the Youth Club. The Youth Club runs the activities within the EU and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) funded project "Civil Society STAR Initiative". Read more… Source: The project page on the social network

Tbilisi. Media Advocacy Coalition responds to facts of threatening statements and harassment committed against Keti Tutberidze, a journalist of Public Broadcaster. “The December 24 rally - related footage shows that participants of the rally surrounded the journalist and abused her verbally. Later, the aggression against the journalist continued also on a social network, which fact encourages violence against Keti Tutberidze. Members of the Coalition call on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate facts of threatening statements and harassment committed against Keti Tutberidze and to take respective legal actions immediately”. Read more... Source: The website of the Coalition on a social network

Adjara. According to the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), the website of the Supreme Council - sca.ge has been adapted with the facilitation of the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) within the framework of the project - “Consolidating Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia”. The Projects is implemented with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). “On the adapted website it is possible to change text and background, color, font with a special reader program, the installation file of which is located on the website; it is possible to read the text; the website also allows to post info materials with synchronized subtitles”. Read more... Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender's Office will continue to work as usual on the holidays announced until January 10. Hotline 1481 will be available on New Year's Eve as well. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Tbilisi. Europe Foundation announces winners for Georgia Shining Light Award. The prize for the best investigation went to the story - The Lost Country by Tamar Gelashvili, Studio Monitor. The piece uncovers systemic failure on the part of the Government of Georgia, which spent more than a billion GEL on water infrastructure over the last 10 years and failed to address the problem at hand. Read more… Source: epfound.ge

Tbilisi. The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary considers it disturbing that the Parliament intends to review amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on Common Courts in an accelerated manner. The Coalition calls on the Parliament to: suspend revision of the initiated bill; establish a format oriented on consensus and broad participation of society in order to assess need for a fundamental reform of the justice system and prepare appropriate changes. Read more… Source: transparency.ge

Tbilisi. The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) calls on the Ministry of Health of Georgia to take into account high public interest and ensure publicity of statistical data on people who have died from COVID-19 in accordance with the characteristic provided in the article. Besides, explain reasons for mutually exclusive data related to the period from infection to death and days in clinic provided to IDFI. Read more… Source: idfi.ge

Tbilisi. The Public Defender of Georgia is extremely concerned about the draft law initiated by the Members of Parliament of Georgia, which abolishes the State Inspector’s Office in an expedited manner. “The bill was prepared in a non-transparent manner and without prior consultation with stakeholders. We believe that this decision contradicts the Constitution of Georgia and human rights and aims to interfere with the activities of an independent institution”. Read more… Source: ombudsman.ge

Imereti. Within the framework of the project "Civil Society Initiative", LDA Georgia conducted training on the specifics of advocacy for the members of CSOs in the target municipalities. The trainings are being conducted by LDA Georgia within the framework of the project "Civil Society Initiative," with the support of the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. The Social Justice Center publishes a report examining contemporary forms of non-standard and informal employment in Georgia. “On the one hand, it contains local knowledge about labor, social and human rights related situation of informal and non-standard employees; while on the other hand, it also presents a survey of those engaged in informal and non-standard employment”. Read more… Source: socialjustice.org.ge

Tbilisi. The Dighomi flood plains on the outskirts of Tbilisi are home to over 20 species of rare birds, like the kingfisher, great white egret, small white egret and night egret. “With our support, up to 50 students visited the Dighomi flood plain to study, observe and spot these rare birds by sound or appearance”. Read more… Source: The organization’s page on the social network

Tbilisi. Civil society organizations express their extreme concern in regard to possible abolition of the State Inspector’s Service by the authorities of the Georgian Dream. “On the background of extreme political polarization, seizure of state institutions, as well as public distrust of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary, the bill registered behind closed doors secretly and expeditiously and aimed at abolishing an independent institution, as well as terminating the authority of the State Inspector prior to the term of office, is nothing else but a political retaliation against an exceptional institution that has more or less managed to gain public confidence in recent years”, - is noted in the joint statement. Read more… Source: osgf.ge

Adjara. According to information released by the Social Justice Center, in high mountainous Adjara, like in other regions, there was heavy snowfall during recent days and part of villages has been left without power supply for 2-3 days, roads are closed too. “Severe winter is typical for high mountainous Adjara and upper villages often appear isolated due to poor infrastructure. Regardless these weather conditions, high mountainous Adjara is not served by a dedicated ambulance, which would provide prompt emergency medical service to citizens in case of necessity”. The organization has been demanding the state repeatedly to create an appropriate medical infrastructure for high mountainous Adjara in order to provide emergency medical care to citizens. Read more… Source: The website of the organization on a social network Photo: Shorena Shavadze