Title of the project: "Public Information Database - www.opendata.ge"

Funded by the Open Society Georgia Foundation

Project Budget- $59,978.43

Duration of the Project -12 months.

In March 2011 Institute for Development of Freedom of Information launched a project “Public Information Database – www.opendata.ge“. It is planned to refine and develop the information web-portal within the framework of project, which is the continuance of the project named “Public information on-line database – Public information registry”(pilot project) implemented in 2010 by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information.

The existing resource database enables the population of Georgia, press and media means, non-governmental and international organizations to observe freedom of information dissemination in a real-time format and conduct an on-line auditing of reports, plans of development, use of budget funds etc. of the authorities.

Within the framework of project IDFI will create and develop information web-portal which shall permanently display public information officially requested from public authorities for the following purposes:

• the increase in rate of transparency and accountability of public authorities;
• the promotion of the efficiency and transparency of public finance expenditure;
• the promotion of freedom of information development via establishment of e-democracy standards;
• the improvement of public control over public authorities via the involvement of the population, non-governmental sector and media;
• the increase in rate of public awareness and engagement within the decision-making process by public authorities.

The Strategy of Project Implementation is the Following:

• the development of unified FoI public information web-resource;
• the establishment of up-to-date and socially significant public information database on the basis of unified FoI information web-resource;
• the permanent update of the Internet database via public information request and other means of public information collection;
• the permanent process of informing the society/international organizations on information resources of Internet database.
• For the purposes of implementation of the abovementioned strategy IDFI plans to take the following steps: 

Information Update of Database

• the regular update of web-pageand the refinement of English version of the web-page;
• The request for various types of public information held by public authorities of Georgia (more than 150 public authorities - state bodies of executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, legal entities of public law, independent regulatory bodies, representative and executive bodies of local self-government, Administration of South Ossetia, governors’ administrations)on the basis of already established practice.

Coalition Activity

The partner organizations of project (Transparency International Georgia, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association, Open Society Georgia Foundation, Green Alternative) shall be involved in the activities of IDFI as well as in the process of implementation of pilot project, which will provide IDFI with the public information requested and collected by them.

Technological Improvement of the Web-page

• the refinement and improvement of integrated technical and visual data;
• the visualization of data of high social importance by means of establishing specially designed software;
• the integration of project statistics in web-page by means of the software and establishment of other web 2.0 innovations.

Proactive Social Lobbying of the Unified Database

Permanent provision of information to the society about data uploaded to web-resource by means of the following proactive strategies: the use of social networks, permanent involvement and provision with information to the member journalists’ working group of the institute media club, the co-ordinated activity of non-governmental sector, social polls, the co-operation with international non-governmental sector.

The Compilation of Resonant Cases, the Initiation of Lawsuits and Claims and the Support of Their Publicity

In case of non-disclosure of public information, the act of ignoring of request to release the public information or incomplete public information provision by the public authority the corresponding administrative claims shall be filed by the institute.  The resonant cases shall be compiled on cases of high importance. The compiled resonant cases shall be disseminated by means of media and press.  In addition, the social nominations shall be assigned for the most non-public and non-transparent state bodies.

Publications Prepared and Issued within the Framework of Project

The publication of quarterly (once in three months) public information request report. In addition, the description of negative practice revealed in the process of public information request within the period of three months. The annual public information request report shall total the results of yearly activity, statistics, tendencies and practice.

The preparation and issue of the Freedom of Information Guidebook.The guidebook shall comprise the existing FoI legislation, the descriptive and definitive issues concerning public information and public authorities, the procedures of request for public information and other corresponding type of information.