2015-07-03
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili chaired a 3 July 2015 government meeting, during which government leaders and the Cabinet discussed 35 issues.
The government approved a bill detailing reforms to improve the public service sector. The bill was developed with the assistance of experts from the European Union and SIGMA, and consultations with public officials and academic circles.
Reforms includes improving the employment system, making the sector more transparent, changes to the promotion and dismissal structures, and better regulation of remuneration, including performance-based bonuses. The allowances will be granted only by class, for the overtime work by the manager's request or based on work load.
The new public service bill also calls for an electronic system to better assistant human resource management, with information to be monitored and gathered by the Civil Service Bureau.
The Cabinet approved the draft government decree about taking "Number of Measures, Connected with the Project of Modernization of Tbilisi-Makhinjauri Main Railway." By introducing changes to the project and constructing a second tunnel in the Kvishkheti-Zvare Section, cargo turnover will increase by up to 48.6 million tons (instead of 14.4 million tons annually). The project will also improve the sustainability of the transit corridor, as well as overall railway safety and freight turnover.
Another key item that was approved was the "Draft Agreement between the Executive Agency of Education, Audiovisual and Culture and the National Center for Teachers' Professional Development." This project aims to: organize online and local trainings for schools as the national and regional levels; organize teacher professional development activities, seminars, and conferences; promote teacher participation in seminars related to the "Twinning Plus" international project; and assist teachers with developing new ideas and projects. The education project will also provide teachers and institutions with the necessary skills to seek "Twinning Plus" partner teachers, promote more innovative ideas for education, and develop teaching methods and intercultural dialogue.