UNDP Holds Information Session for Georgian MPs

Members of the Georgian Parliament are learning how to hold Committee Inquiries based on the best practice of the British Parliament. The information session on 30 April 2018 was facilitated by an international expert from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) invited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Government of Sweden.

On 1 May, a similar information session will be organized for civil society representatives. The Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources is the first to pilot thematic inquiries this year aiming to enhance Parliamentary oversight in the field of environment protection by holding the Committee Inquiry on Atmosphere Air Condition in Tbilisi.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Kakhaber Kuchava, Committee Chairperson, stressed the importance of enhancing parliamentary oversight and foster linkages with civil society, communities, and media, especially in the areas of pressing environmental concerns. “Committee inquiries are an important tool which will help us address some specific environmental challenges, such as pollution and air quality”, Kuchava said.

According to the recently adopted strategy for 2018-2030 and action plan for 2018-2020, the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources is committed to strengthening its oversight functions as well to providing better opportunities for the engagement of civil society and citizens. Thematic inquiries will enable civil society organizations, individual citizens or action groups to directly participate in the committee work and voice their information, concerns and
recommendations.

“UNDP and the Swedish Government are supporting the Parliament of Georgia to harness international practice in holding thematic inquiries as an important tool for oversight, mediation, and monitoring. It is encouraging that the first pilot initiative is focusing on the environmental work, creating some additional opportunities for Georgian law-makers to work hand in hand with civil society and citizens,“ said Natia Natsvlishvili, Assistant Resident Representative of UNDP in Georgia.

Piloted in the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, thematic inquiries are expected to be introduced in the Parliament of Georgia as a common practice.