Report of 2015 on the situation of issuing public information in the Administration of the Government of Georgia in accordance with the requirements of Article 49 of the General Administrative Code of Georgia
In the reporting period, Administration of the Government of Georgia was conducting its activities in accordance with the requirements of the norms of General Administrative Code of Georgia.
Requests concerning the issuance of public information generally referred to orders of Georgian Prime Minister, resolutions and decrees of the Government of Georgia, minutes of meeting of the Government of Georgia, official correspondence, decisions made in response to reviewing of applications of citizens, expenses bared by the Administration of the Government of Georgia and issues related to the remuneration of high officials.
In total 301 written applications (including three cases on the request to make amendments into the information issued initially) on issuance of public information were registered during the report period of the year 2015, among them 246 requests were processed and responded by the administration of the Government of Georgia (included 11 cases where applicants were clarified that the requested public information, was not the public information kept in the Administration of the Government of Georgia, in three cases the decisions on complete refusal of issuing a public information, and in one case - on partial refusal was made. In making the decisions, Administration of the Government of Georgia was guiding with the laws of Georgia "on Personal Data Protection" and "on State Secrecy"; response on 21 applications were sent from the Administration of the Government in delay with respect to the deadlines fixed under the General Administrative Code of Georgia); 43 applications were sent to the relevant authorized administrative body pursuant to Article 80 of the abovementioned code; Currently 12 applications are being processed.
Officials of the Administration of the Government were making the decisions on the refusal to satisfy request of public information, taking into account the positions of the structural units on the basis of General Administrative Code and the Current Law. In the Administration of the Government of Georgia the officials responsible to ensure availability of public information, who were responding on the requested information within the scopes of their competences, are defined by the Order N22 of the Prime Minister of Georgia of January 26, 2015.
Delay of response on one application was considered by the applicant as a negative decision to issue a public information and was appealed by the administrative claim. Mentioned complaint was withdrawn by the author of the claim, because the requested public information was issued. Expenses related to the appeal of the decision, including obligation to reimburse the party was not upon the Administration of the Government. Administration of the Government of Georgia while issuing the public information was guiding with the Law of Georgia "on Public Information Copy Fees" and Order N275 of the Head of Chancellery of the Government of Georgia of 14 June 2013 "on Determining Minimum Amount of Public Information to be Issued without Fees".
The Government of Georgia, taking into the consideration the specific nature of the work to be fulfilled, has the databases, including a database where personal data of the employees are stored and the relevant structural units have access to it within the scopes of their competences.
There was no cases imposing disciplinary fines for the violation of the requirements of General Administrative Code by the responsible employees of the Administration of the Government of Georgia.
In accordance with Article 12 of the Law of Georgia "on Structure, Authority and Rules of Operation of the Government of Georgia" and Government Regulations, the meetings of the Government of Georgia generally are closed. Therefore during the reporting period meetings of the Government of Georgia were conducted under the procedure established by the law. Decision on holding a meetings of the Government of Georgia publicly was not made.
Herewith, agendas and decisions of the meetings of the Government of Georgia are systematically published on the web page of the Government of Georgia. The briefings of the members of the Government were held after each meeting of the Government. Within the scope of "Open Governance" - initiative of the Government of Georgia press conferences of the Prime Minister and Ministers on particular agencies of the Government, have been systematically conducted.
For the purposes of availability of information in the Administration of Georgian and its proactive publication, the relevant field for the public information is created on the web page of the Government of Georgia, where public information on the activities of Administration of the Government is published in accordance with the requirements of Georgian Legislation.
Information on changes and reforms in various fields carried out by the Government of Georgia since 2013 is also published on the web page.