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Public Information Is Permanently Blocked in Kakheti

April 23, 2007

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Representatives of the regional non-governmental organizations openly protest the blocking of public information in Kakheti. Civil society is deeply concerned on the fact that local government absolutely disrespects court decisions.

Last week, non-governmental organizations held protest demonstrations in front of the Gurjaani Municipality building. “We held the demonstration in front of the Gurjaani Municipality building because the transparency of public information is harassed in Gurjaani. Recently, municipality meetings have been illegally closed and journalists have been kicked out from the halls. A short time ago, one of similar occasions resulted into an argument between journalists and municipality members,” said Lia Khuroshvili, a lawyer for the non-governmental organization, “Human Right Center”. The lawyer added that they are concerned about the fact that public institutions do not follow court decisions.

“Gurjaani District Court satisfied our appeals and both Administrative Board and the Municipality were ordered to give public information whenever we demanded.  Although the defender did not appeal against the decision at the Appeal Court, none of the abovementioned institutions give public information. That means that public official does not respect court decision, abuses his/her power and thus commits a crime,” said representatives of the human rights organization.

According to non-governmental organizations, journalists as well as ordinary people are not allowed at the Gurjaani and Telavi Administrative Boards. The head of the Press Service Center at the Gurjaani Administrative Board was fired because he cooperated with the independent media. “Employees who cooperate with journalists are persecuted at Gurjaani Administrative Board and Municipality,” said lawyers.

Receiving public information is a great problem in other districts of Kakheti too. Tinatin Phkhovelishvili, the head of the Lawyers’ Development Center, said that the information on budget expenses is mostly blocked at the Sighnaghi Administrative board. “When officials hide information about budget expenses that is spent on rehabilitation works and some other activities, it proves that there is either corruption in the administrative board or they do not know the demands of the Georgian General Administrative Code,” said Phkhovelishvili.

Non-governmental organizations, working in Telavi cope with similar problems too. “On March 29 representatives of various local NGOs were not allowed to attend the meeting of the Telavi Municipality. Thus the Municipality violated the Georgian General Administrative Code and the decree of the Municipality which defines that the meetings are transparent. It is pity that similar facts occur and such practice should be eradicated. We are going to appeal against the Telavi Municipality at the Court,” said Lela Taliuri, the head of the Young Lawyers’ Association’s Telavi office.

However, NGOs do not rely on the fair decisions of courts either. Journalists for the Human Rights Center brought suit at the Gurjaani District Court against the Gurjaani Municipality on having closed the public meeting. The judge avoided the suit. Finally the judge for the Lagodekhi District Court, Nana Chalatashvili discussed the suit and did not satisfy the appeal. “Suit on abolishing the administrative-legal record can be accepted if the record or its part violates or damages the rights of the suitor or disrespects his/her interests. The suitor’s statements that he, as a journalist, was not allowed to attend the meeting and to implement his duty do not mean that his legal rights and interests were violated,” said Chalatashvili.

According to suitor, the court decisions are beyond any logic, it is illegal and he is going to appeal against the verdict at the Tbilisi Appeal Court. “Chalatashvili, the judge of the Lagodekhi District Court, should not have discussed the suit because she was the former wife of the Lagodekhi District Governor. We consider that this factor influenced the decision,” said lawyers.

Representatives of Administrative Boards and Municipalities categorically deny the accusations of the NGOs.  “Their complaints are unreasonable. They demand information almost every day and we should have to spend the whole day on giving them information,” said Vasil Utiashvili, the head of the Gurjaani Administrative Board’s office.

Levan Akhalauri, the chairman of the Telavi Municipality does not agree with the accusations either. “On March 29 2007 Telavi Municipality meeting was not closed.  The Municipality had put up the announcement on the meeting on the wall of the building a week before it was earmarked. Public information is also given without any delays,” said Akhalauri.

NGOs demand the law enforcers to react on the concrete fact of preventing the journalists from implementing their professional duties.

Gela Mtivlishvil, Kakheti

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