Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) has been monitoring the developments unfolding at local self-government agencies. A group of problems that has been evident recently is related to dismissals of municipality public servants. It has been reported that dismissals have been based on letters of resignation; however, it must be addressed whether these letters have been written willingly or as a result of psychological pressure or any other illegal action by officials. The present case involves dismissal of two public servants from Kareli Municipality. Neli Sakuashvili addressed GYLA’s office in Gori in written to inform that she was pressured into writing letter of resignation. Nino Maisuradze’s case is particularly attention-worthy as she informed GYLA that she was dismissed from a self-governing unit, Ptsa territorial agency of Kareli Municipality when she was taking a maternity. She states that they had her write a letter of resignation, saying that new Gamgebeli would appoint her again. Under the January 8, 2012 order, N.Maizuradze was dismissed from work based on her own letter of resgination. The order is signed by Acting Gamgebeli of Kareli Municipality Iv. Osadze.
2013-02-01 00:55 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) publishes legal opinion on the draft Constitutional law on Amendments to the Constitution of Georgia. The Parliament of Georgia adopted a resolution on promulgation of the draft law and establishment of a steering committee for public discussions of the draft on December 28, 2012. The proposed draft repeals the prohibition to dissolve the parliament during first six months after its election and during last six months of the presidential term. Further, it revokes the authority of the president to appoint a government if the legislative body fails to approve the government during the noted period of time. Initiators of the draft law state that these amendments have been elaborated to avert the risks of political crisis.
2013-01-25 02:51 See moreAs public is well aware, spending from the reserve funds of the President of Georgia and the Government of Georgia has been one of the fields that lack transparency most of all. Frequently information about spending from these funds could only be obtained following lengthy court disputes. Even so, information provided was mostly incomplete. As spending from reserve funds has been drawing public attention, in view of high public interst GYLA publishes part of the information about some of the strands of spending from the reserve funds of the Government of Georgia envisaged by the 2010-2012 state budgets. Further, GYLA plans to provide public with broader information about spending from reserve fund of the Government of Georgia in 2010-2012, including following the 2012 parliamentary elections.
2013-01-25 02:12 See moreGeorgian Young Lawyers’ Association held a presentation of the research “Analysis of Criminal and Administrative Cases with Alleged Political Motive” in Batumi in January 21, 2013 and in Kutaisi in January 22, 2013. The meetings were attended by local organizations specializing in human rights and rule of law, representatives of legislative, executive and judicial authorities of Georgia, convicts concerned and/or their representatives.
2013-01-23 01:59 See moreThe Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary responds to the draft law prepared by the Ministry of Justice about regulation of applying jury trial to cases of high public interest. According to the draft law initiated in the parliament of Georgia, high public interest will be related to status of a defendant; in particular, it will apply to cases where a defendant is an official indicated in Chapter 2 of the Law of Georgia on Conflict of Interests and Corruption in Public Service, holding corresponding position as well as an individual charged with assisting the foregoing individuals in committing crime.
2013-01-16 01:57 See moreGYLA Responds to the Release of Secret Video Recording of Personal Lives of Sexual Minority Men by the Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Georgia. According to the statements released by the office of the prosecutor of Georgia, the office of the prosecutor launched a probe into the alleged abuse of official power by former officials of the MOD’s Military Police Department by exerting violence and outrage upon personal dignity. In particular, according to the investigating authorities, under the instructions of the former head of the MOD’s Military Police Department officials of the department collected information (including secretly taken videos of their sexual relations) about sexual minority men to blackmailing and coercing them into secret cooperation with special services.
2013-01-16 01:14 See moreOn January 14, 2012 media released a statement Georgian Pianist Beka Gochiashvili, according to which he was subjected to physiological pressure while questioned as a witness. According to reports, Beka Gochiashvili and his brother Lasha Gochiashvili were questioned as witnesses in relation to an act of robbery on January 8, 2012, in the fifth division of Vake Saburtalo. Further, a sixteen-year old Beka Gochiashvili was questioned in presence of his parent Valerian Gochiashvili. According to Beka Gochiashvili’s statement he and his brother Lasha Gochiashvili were subjected to psychological pressure and threats during questioning.
2013-01-15 09:11 See moreIn response to GYLA’s press conference, following a statement made by Tbilisi City Hall about the process of rehabilitation of Tbilisi, in order to shed more light to the issue we deem it necessary to provide public with information about issues addressed by the statement of Tbilisi City Hall. GYLA does not share the explanation made by Tbilisi City Hall about public procurement and believes that it is wrongfully interpreting the term “public procurement”. The Law of Georgia on Public Procurement qualifies the following as state procurement: procurement of any goods, services and construction works by a procuring organization with state funds as well as funds of the autonomous republic and self-government units. Therefore, when dealing with an issue of public procurement, legal status of procuring organization as well as origins of procurement funds are important, and the powers exercised by the entity concerned.
2012-12-29 01:13 See moreAnalysis of practice of adoption of laws by the parliament throughout the recent period illustrates that draft laws are considered and adopted in violation of the standards of transparency and with lack of involvement of stakeholders, which GYLA released a public statement about on December 20. This is particularly problematic in light of the fact that the legislative authorities are considering several important draft laws in expedited manner, and the decision to commence the procedure of consideration of these draft laws was made only last Tuesday.
2012-12-28 07:55 See moreThe new political force that came into power in Georgia following the October 1, 2012 parliamentary elections, declared self-government reform in Georgia as one of the key priorities. Recent reforms in the field throughout the last 20 years envisaged formation of a vertical dimension of the government instead of reinforcing self-government, in which local self-government grew to be a function-less supplement of the central authorities. It is the flaw of the existing system that transfer of power in the central authorities triggers the process in which members of the former ruling party in the self-government are voluntarily or forcefully leaving the ruling party for the new political force in power. This was the case when the Round Table, the Citizens’ Union and Aghordzineba lost power.
2012-12-28 01:04 See more