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Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association Traditionally Presented the December 10 Reports to Public

2011-12-15 10:37
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Within the series of human rights event, GYLA traditionally presented the December 10 reports to public.

Freedom of information is a fundamental right, and one of the legal grounds for government control and informed participation in the process of decision making. Obligation of public entities to submit to parliament and the president of Georgia detailed reports about practice of the noted right at the entity concerned, is one of the important guarantees for its protection. The fact that public entities are accountable to both executive and legislative branches of the government highlights particular importance of realization of freedom of information.

GYLA regularly observes and examines practice of stipulations of Article 49 of the law. Report of the outcomes of the December 10 Reports was published in 2010, covering the reports submitted from 2000 to 2009.

Today, Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association releases a report covering the practice in 2010, which demonstrated that fulfillment of obligations envisaged by Article 49 of the General Administrative Code by public entities is traditionally deficient. The following four major problems were revealed:
•    Some of the public entities fail to fulfill the obligations at all and to provide the report;
•    Some of the public entities provide their report either to the president or to parliament;
•    Information provided by most of public entities is incomplete, while some public entities (public schools in particular) fail to fulfill requirements of the General Administrative Code;
•    Reports are submitted for the formalities sake, as they are not examined and reccomendations are not provided for their improvement.

For ensuring public access, GYLA is releasing a complete report; furthermore, it plans to organize a workshop with public information officers of public entities to hear their opinion about reccomendations offered.