Open Governance and Anti-Corruption

24 December 2014

Lecturing course - 25 Years of Transformation – Eastern Europe and Georgia has finished

60 students were awarded with certificates in the lecturing course - 25 Years of Transformation – Eastern Europe and Georgia.
Lecturing course was held by Institute for Development of freedom of Information (IDFI), Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Bremen University with the financial assistance of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany within the scopes of the project Strategic Plan Georgia 2020 – Strengthening Public Involvement (ZigB) Georgia.

23 December 2014

Presentation on the concept of new web-portal of Tbilisi City Hall

On 23rd of December, IDFI with the support of Open Society Georgia and Tbilisi City Hall has organized a presentation within the project of “Concept for the New Web-Page of Tbilisi City Hall” at Courtyard Marriott Tbilisi. The survey about international practice of the foreign countries municipalities for creating and implemented web-portals as well as the new concept for web-page of Tbilisi City Hall was presented to the Mayor of Tbilisi City Hall- Davit Narmania and other district governors.

22 December 2014

OpenData.ge in the international impact assessment of FOI platforms

A British organization mySociety has conducted comprehensive research on impact of Freedom of Information tools worldwide. Among other FOI platforms, the study also covers Georgian experience, namely Public Information Database OpenData.ge, created by the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) with financial support from Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) in 2010.

22 December 2014

Discussion on The Compliance of the Education Institutions' Academic Programs with the Requirements of the Labor Market

Within the scopes of the project Strategic Plan Georgia 2020 – Strengthening Public Involvement (ZigB) the discussion on - The Compliance of the Education Institutions' Academic Programs with the Requirements of the Labor Market - was held on Thursday, December 18

12 December 2014

Information on the Persons Held Responsible for the Facts of Torture in the Prisons is Still Inaccessible

After the footage of torture from prison cells was published in 2012, the belief that the facts of torture and inhuman, degrading treatment was well implemented practice in penitentiary institutions was inculcated in the society. This was added inter alia by the public statements of high officials currently in office, highlighting the existing problems. Nevertheless, till to date society has no comprehensive information on the results and scale of the investigations.

10 December 2014

The 10th of December Freedom of Information Reports

According to art.49 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia, public agencies are obliged to submit Annual Freedom of Information Reports to the Parliament, President and the Prime Minister of Georgia on December the 10th each year. Within the auspices of the recent report prepared by IDFI, the institute conducted comparative analyses of freedom of information reports submitted by public agencies during the period of 2009-2013.

5 December 2014

Freedom House: Georgia is still free in terms of internet freedom

On December 4, 2014 Freedom House published report on internet freedom, assessmenting internet access, censorship, and internet user rights in 65 countries around the world. According to the released measures, Georgia as in 2013 obtained 26 scores out of 100 and consequently, was assessed as “Free” in terms of internet freedom.

3 December 2014

International Survey of Information Commissioners

The latest International Survey of Information Commissioners, conducted by the Centre for Freedom of Information, has been published (17 November 2014).

2 December 2014

There Are Positive Amendments in the Legislation for Aliens Lawfully Staying in Georgia

On the 26th of November amendment to the law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons went into force. The recently adopted amendments to the law sets new regulations linked with the issue of immigration visa as well as residence permit. Overall we find that the new amendments to the law should be assessed positively. Moreover the fact that the Government of Georgia has reacted to the concerns highlighted by the aliens as well as by the CSOs should also be welcomed.

27 November 2014

Meeting the Obligation to Disclose Public Information by the Public Entities (GYLA)

The research enshrines data received from 17 public entities and covers the period of January the 1st, 2013 to August the 31st 2014. Precisely, the practice of responding to the FOI requests implemented by the Parliament of Georgia, the Ministries as well as by the Supreme Court of Georgia was assessed;