EU and UNDP Help Georgian Parliament Enhance its Research and Analysis Service

PRESS RELEASE

The ongoing work and future plans of the Georgian Parliament in reforming its research and analytical service were discussed last week at a public meeting with the MPs and representatives of civil society, Georgian universities, embassies and international organizations.

The discussion was organised by the Parliament of Georgia with assistance from the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze opened the event. This was followed by the addresses from Louisa Vinton, UNDP Head in Georgia, and Asuncion Sanchez-Ruiz, Head of Political, Press and Information Section at the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia.

Challenges faced by the Parliament’s research and analytical service and key directions of the reform were presented by First Deputy Speaker Tamar Chugoshvili and Secretary General of the Parliament of Georgia, Givi Mikanadze.

The Parliament of Georgia has been reforming its research and analytical service since early 2018 aiming to supply MPs with evidence-based information, ensure high-quality research and provide impartial and comprehensive support to law-making and government oversight.

In line with the newly adopted Rules and Procedures of the Georgian Parliament, the reformed research and analytical centre will be registered as a Legal Entity of Public Law, which will make it more flexible in hiring professional researchers and working with donors. The reform is expected to be completed in spring 2019.

The initiative is part of the ongoing institutional reform of the Georgian Parliament supported by the EU and UNDP under their wider programme for stronger parliamentary democracy in Georgia.