Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center Requests Reaction from the Public Defender

Gela Mtivlishvili

Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center addressed Public Defender Giorgi Tughushi and asked to react upon the facts of hindering their professional activity.

Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center is the only independent media outlet in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region supported by the Open Society Georgia Foundation. It has been operating since 2011. The goal of the organization is to prepare and disseminate journalist material regarding the situation in the region by complying with the professional standards. The Center has covered numerous facts of human rights violations and problems of society. It has also started a journalistic investigation. Based on Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center material, the national TV channels, newspapers and information agencies disseminated information.

For a month Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center has been addressing the local government of Dusheti municipality and the City Council with more than 20 written requests and several administrative complaints. The Center journalists were not allowed to enter the buildings of Dusheti municipality local government and City Council during this time.

Manana Vardiashvili, director of Mtskheta-Mtianeti Information Center:

“On July 4th of 2011 I addressed the official of Dusheti municipality local government who was in charge of ensuring accessibility of public information and requested following information: “How much money was spent on the rehabilitation of water system of the city of Dusheti; improvement of water supply for Dusheti population/according to different dates? (we requested information on when, from where and why this money was allotted); which companies and where (exact place) fulfilled the rehabilitation works, how much money was spent on each project and what works has been implemented concretely?”

On July 7th of 2011 we received a letter from Dusheti Municipality local government dated by July 5th of 2011. The official of Dusheti municipality responsible for issuing public information Z. Sianadze notified us that collecting and preparing information requested by us takes time. “We will try to give you information till August 23rd of 2011.”

Journalists think that Dusheti Municipality local government unlawfully restricts their legal right to freely receive and disseminate information under the terms established by law.

The complaint sent to Public Defender’s Office is registered on July 8th. However, the Office of Public Defender has still not reacted upon it.