The News in Brief
Wednesday, July 18
Opposition MP Says Justice Minister is a Threat to Open Governance
The member of the European Georgia’s parliamentary minority, Otar Kakhidze says that the main drawback for the Open Government process in Georgia is the Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani, who managed to maintain her post in the renewed cabinet amid harsh criticism of the opposition and civil sector.
Kakhidze made the statement before the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Tbilisi on Tuesday, when leaders from OGP’s 76 participating countries and local governments are to exchange ideas on how they are making their governments more transparent, accountable, and responsive to their citizens.
“Interested in this topic, I believe that the pace of fulfilling obligations is slow. I would like Georgia to be more active. The main challenge in this process is Mrs. Tsulukiani, not because of her personality, but because of the fact that all the main actors, who are the state’s partner in the Open Government process, are against her and declare distrust to her,” Kakhidze said.
Georgia assumed the chairmanship of the OGP Steering Committee in September 2017, which meant that for the first time Georgia became the chair of the OGP for a one-year term.
OPG is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. In the spirit of multi-stakeholder collaboration, OGP is overseen by a Steering Committee including representatives of governments and civil society organizations.
To become a member of OGP, participating countries must endorse a high-level Open Government Declaration, deliver a country action plan developed with public consultation, and commit to independent reporting on their progress going forward.
PM Appoints Ex-Ministers as His Advisors
From now on the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, has two new advisers. Sozar Subari, the former refugee minister, was appointed as an Advisor to the Prime Minister in regional development issues, while Mikheil Chkhenkeli, former education minister, will be advisor in education field.
The head of the government issued the related orders during the meeting with press on July 16.
The Prime Minister has a third advisor in foreign issues – Tedo Japaridze, who occupied this position under the leadership of the former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
(By Mariam Chanishvili)
The member of the European Georgia’s parliamentary minority, Otar Kakhidze says that the main drawback for the Open Government process in Georgia is the Justice Minister Tea Tsulukiani, who managed to maintain her post in the renewed cabinet amid harsh criticism of the opposition and civil sector.
Kakhidze made the statement before the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Tbilisi on Tuesday, when leaders from OGP’s 76 participating countries and local governments are to exchange ideas on how they are making their governments more transparent, accountable, and responsive to their citizens.
“Interested in this topic, I believe that the pace of fulfilling obligations is slow. I would like Georgia to be more active. The main challenge in this process is Mrs. Tsulukiani, not because of her personality, but because of the fact that all the main actors, who are the state’s partner in the Open Government process, are against her and declare distrust to her,” Kakhidze said.
Georgia assumed the chairmanship of the OGP Steering Committee in September 2017, which meant that for the first time Georgia became the chair of the OGP for a one-year term.
OPG is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. In the spirit of multi-stakeholder collaboration, OGP is overseen by a Steering Committee including representatives of governments and civil society organizations.
To become a member of OGP, participating countries must endorse a high-level Open Government Declaration, deliver a country action plan developed with public consultation, and commit to independent reporting on their progress going forward.
PM Appoints Ex-Ministers as His Advisors
From now on the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mamuka Bakhtadze, has two new advisers. Sozar Subari, the former refugee minister, was appointed as an Advisor to the Prime Minister in regional development issues, while Mikheil Chkhenkeli, former education minister, will be advisor in education field.
The head of the government issued the related orders during the meeting with press on July 16.
The Prime Minister has a third advisor in foreign issues – Tedo Japaridze, who occupied this position under the leadership of the former Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.
(By Mariam Chanishvili)