Blog
Fact-checking the State of the Nation address: IDPs
Housing for displaced persons featured prominently in President Saakashvili’s February 11th State of the Nation address and in the following speeches made by MPs Giorgi Akhvlediani (Christian Democrats) and Paata Davitaia (By Ourselves). Among a list of accomplishments made in 2010, the President said the following: “We are in the process of moving IDPs from illegal to legal status.
Chamber of Control publishes some key audit results
Georgia's supreme audit institution has published its findings and follow-up actions on 25 cases. However, no information is published online on most of the Chambers’ audits of state entities.
Fact checking the President’s state of the nation speech: Corruption
In his 2011 State of the Nation speech, President Mikheil Saakashvili said that the Financial Times had referred to Georgia as the world’s number one corruption fighter. We checked the FT’s online and print archives and could not find any reporting that would support the President’s reference.
Zurab Zhvania – 6 years after
Six years ago today Georgia’s Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania was found dead. A leading force for reform and democracy during Shevardnadze’s presidency, Zhvania, then Speaker of Parliament, was one of leaders of Rose Revolution in 2003. Zhvania was a man of great integrity, a believer in the power and role of democracy and pluralism. He was passionate, yet always a voice of reason.
New Tax Ombudsman may face conflict of interest
This post was updated on: February 7 The new Georgian tax code, in force since January 1st, established the position of Tax Ombudsman. Last week the Prime Minister announced that George Pertaia will hold the new position.
Tracking top-level ministry officials’ income and bonuses
How much do senior public officials make in Georgia? It’s a simple question with a complicated answer. The income of high ranking public officials is technically open information, but the data is not straightforward and some agencies are unnecessarily opaque.
