Gela Mtivlishvili
Region-based media outlets protest the violation of the right to freedom of information by public agencies. “We cannot carry out our journalistic activities when the information is restricted. By blocking the public information, the government tries to deprive the society from their right – to get correct information,” statement of the media representatives signed by 18 media-outlets.
“Obtaining public information is very acute problem for the journalists working in the regions of Georgia. Although the General Administrative Code of Georgia regulates the procedures of request and release of public information, the norms estimated by the law are permanently breached. The law enforcement bodies are particularly active in breaching these norms: they are the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Chief Prosecutor’s Office and Defense Ministry.
The journalists encounter problems during the cooperation with other institutions of the central government too. More precisely, the press-centers and spokespersons of the institutions are busy to hide public information and to create additional obstacles for the journalists to get information. Furthermore, the press-centers of the institutions in the central authority, (except several of them) do not cooperate with the regional media at all; or they use forms of optional cooperation – they cooperate only with the journalists who are more acceptable for them and work for the media-organizations controlled by the government.
Since the central government encourages the institutions to hide public information, the representatives of the local self-governments use these methods in regard with local journalists.
We appeal to the President of Georgia, chairman of the parliament, governmental officials to ensure real and not façade transparency of the public institutions. We request to eradicate the selfishness of the public officials while releasing public information to journalists and act only in accordance to the law,” the statement of journalists.
Eliso Janashia, editor of the Samegrelo based newspaper “Free Word”: “We have to work in a boycott regime. The officials do not give comments to us. Employees of the public institutions also deny comments as they are ordered by the city mayor. It is difficult to cooperate with the press-center of the City Hall. The press-center never informs us about the planned activities. However, the local government is the institution, whose purpose is to cooperate with the society and media. They mostly use 10-day term for the release of public information though some information can be released immediately. However, very often, the officials do not release complete information even within 10 days and sometimes journalists have to request the same information again. It requires additional time and complicates their work on the article.”
The journalists working in Guria region also have problems in getting public information.
Shorena Ghlonti, correspondent of the newspaper “GuriaNews”: “For example, on January 27, 2010, I requested the following public information from the district administrations: information about all state purchases implemented within the funding from the 2008-2009 budget for the departments of the MIA as well as for the Western Georgia sub-division # 4 of the Constitutional Security Department; detailed information about the expenditure of the reserve funds in 2009. We also requested copies of each agreements signed for the implementation of the work; list of the workers, amount of their salaries and the funds for the business-leaves, bonuses, awards and expenses for phone-calls allocated from the district budget.” On February 4, on the ninth day after we requested the information, I received a letter. “It is impossible to release the requested public information within the estimated term; it is difficult to get the agreements from the initial accountancy documents because of large number of documents in it. You will get the requested information within one month.” The letter was signed by the Lanchkhuti district governor Gia Goguadze. Afterwards, I appealed to the Ozurgeti district court. The first trial was postponed because the defendant side did not appear at the court. Four more trials were held but the district administration did not provide the information I requested. Thus, Judge Zviadadze postponed the trial for ten days and gave additional term to the defendant to provide the requested information. Finally, the representative of the district administration brought the copies of the document which were neither confirmed nor signed by an authoritative official. Judge Zviadadze concluded there was no reason for disagreement and refused to satisfy our suit.”
Throughout the next week, the appeal will be published on the first page of each regional newspaper. The journalists plan to organize various events to request public information.
Except Regional Media Association of Georgia, studio Monitor, Kakheti News Center and central newspaper “Resonance” joined the protest.
News
December 13, 2023
Ethnic minorities outside the peace dialogue
November 6, 2023
‘Peace’ agenda of political parties
Popular
Articles
February 13, 2024
Why are Ossetians affected by the conflict unable to regain Georgian citizenship and their property?
