2008 Year Publications

2008 Year

12-12-2012

The project “Civil Engagement in Decision Making Process of Local-Self Government” implemented in 2008 did not consider information publication activities, but small leaflets and calendar. Nevertheless because of the actuality of the project it got great interest among local, regional and central media. All the published articles referred to the rehabilitation of the Kutaisi Water Supply System or gathering the public opinion regarding the rehabilitation issues, reviewingthem and making conclusions. We together with experts and NGO representative operating in Kutaisi conducted several, meetings and round table discussions regarding the issue, discussion on the alternative water source (River Rachkha) in terms of the reducing the electricity expenditure and improving the water quality. All these questions attracted the media. Below is the list of the media coverage:

• TV–Information broadcastings, Tock –Show, Discussions on Water Supply System. – TV Company “Rioni TV”.
• Radio information broadcastings – Radio Company “Dzveli Kalaki” (the Old City).
• Newspaper articles in local, regional and central newspapers.

Below is the list of the newspaper articles regarding the ASA Project published in 2008:

1. The article: “Will you Fly up if you can’t Land?” - Newspaper “Sakartvelos Respublika” (Republic of Georgia) April 1, 2008.
2. The article: “Obscure Energy Politics” - Newspaper “Akhali Gazeti” (New Newspaper), June 1, 2008.
3. The article: “Water Supply through Rachkha” – Newspaper “Kutaisi”, June 2-8, 2008.
4. The article: “Kutaisi will be supplied with Water from Rachkha” - Newspaper “Akhali Gazeti” (New Newspaper), June 2-8, 2008.
5. The article: “Shame which is Glory and Mercy” - Newspaper “Sakartvelos Respublika” (Republic of Georgia) June26, 2008.
6. The article: “In the expectation of 27 Million benefit” – “Tvitmartvelobis Megzuri” (The Leader of the Self-Government) July, 2008.
7. The articles: “It is Dark in Brotseula.” And “Don’t Kutaisi Citizens have any Business with 27 Million Water Rehabilitation Project?!” – Newspaper “P.S.” July 14-20, 2008.
8. The article: “We are Standing in the Water and are Thirsty, what can We Do?” - Newspaper “Sakartvelos Respublika” (Republic of Georgia) August 27, 2008.

The main topic of the year was discussion the processes regarding the Kutaisi Water Supply System Rehabilitation Project funded by the Millennium Challenge Program, requests for the transparency of the Project implementation and publicity of the Project data. We, together with the several Kutaisi based NGOs requested the Explanatory Note of the Project as well as the drawings from all relevant institutions, but unfortunately couldn’t get them.

Nevertheless we positively evaluated the existence of the funds for the changing the city network of the Water Supply System, which was not considered in the financial plan of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and we together with the society and the Water Supply Company requested several times.

It should be mentioned also that the rehabilitation works started without informing the city population neither by city Government, nor by Water Supply Company or Municipal Development Fund (MDF), who was the responsible for the Project administration or by the city Local-Self-Government.

The Agreement regarding funding the Rehabilitation Project of Kutaisi Water Supply signed in the second half of 2007 between EBRD and Kutaisi Water Supply Company, clearly defined the obligations and responsibilities of Implementer (Kutaisi Water Supply Company) of having the publicity plan and periodically providing the information to the public. At the starting stage it was somehow done but after the Project progressing and enlargement of the working area it become absolutely secret and the transparency and publicity of the Project stayed only on signed Agreement.

This year our activities and the published articles were saturated with the description of the positive and negative sides of the processes, as well as suggestions of the activities needed for the short, medium and long term development, with request of following the low and performing the obligations given in the Agreement, respecting the public opinion and taking it into the consideration in decision making process.