On June 28, 2012 The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) together with the USAID organized a presentation/workshop on of the results of the Project “Research on the Effectiveness of the FOIA Provisions in Georgia”

Project was provided under the G-3 program of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and was aimed to conduct a research on best provisions of freedom of information, to elaborate recommendations, and through implementing of them advance the level of access to public information and improve functioning of the institutional mechanisms of accessibility of public information. The goal of the workshop was to introduce the results of the project to the partner governmental agencies - Ministry of Justice of Georgia, Civil Service Bureau, Competition and Procurement Agency, Chamber of Control.  IDFI offered to the representatives of the mentioned Public institutions detailed recommendations elaborated specially for these institutions about proactive publishing of public Information.

In the framework of the project IDFI studied the similar institutions in the countries with best international practice of FoI provision.  The United States, UK/Scotland, Estonia were chosen as examples with best practice of proactive disclosure of information. Comparative analysis of international and Georgian freedom of information legislation, comparative analysis of content of electronic resources (web-sites) of the G-3 partner organizations and their international analogs were conducted, practice of proactive publishing of information were evaluated and statistical indicators of access to public documents were conducted.

IDFI analyzed the December 10th to the Parliament of Georgia and the President of Georgia on release of public information by the public authorities. Also in the framework of access to public documents IDFI has organized focused discussions with Media and civil society organizations to define types of public information which is of social interest. The research was based on the basis of the activities mentioned above. 
Presentation was opened by Giorgi Kldiashvili- Director of IDFI and project coordinator. He was followed by the welcoming speech of Maia Gogoladze- Deputy Chief of Party, USAID G-3 Program.

 Mrs. Eliso Chabrava- legal expert in the project team and author of legal part of the research talked about international and Georgian FoI legislation and legal practice.  Mr. Levan Avalishvili Chairman of the IDFI and project director presented statistical analysis, main findings on the practice of best practice of access to public documents based on international practice and recommendations on resolving of existing problems in G-3 partner state institutions. Presentations were followed by discussion.  
The representatives of public institutions have underlined the importance of the Project for development of Good Governance in Georgia, and expressed readiness for cooperate with the IDFI in improving the access to public information practice in Georgia.

Besides the above mentioned workshop the separate workshop was organized for the G-3 Partner state authorities from the Government of Adjara Autonomous Republic (Apparatus of the Government of Adjara Autonomous Republic, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Healthcare and Social Security of Adjara Autonomous Republic). Workshop was held on July 2nd in Batumi. Representatives of IDFI (Levan Avalishvili and Giorgi Kldiashvili) presented research on freedom of information legislation, practice on access to public documents and statistical analysis). Recommendations were discussed on how to improve existing practice of access to public documents in G-3 partner organizations in the Government of Adjara Autonomous Republic.
Representatives of G-3 partner public authorities were provided with the copies of research.