Press Release
U.S. Government Supports Rule of Law Awards
June 28, 2000
Tbilisi--The Eurasia Foundation will present 10 recipients with Rule of Law awards at a ceremony on Thursday, June 29 at the National Library. The Eurasia Rule of Law program is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the development assistance agency of the U.S. government. Speaking at the ceremony will be USAID/Caucasus Deputy Mission Director P.E. Balakrishnan and Eurasia Country Director Alexander Lomaia.
The Eurasia Rule of Law grants support civic society’s efforts to reduce abuse of government authority and increase transparency in decision-making. Projects include activities that assess and disseminate information about the impact of the abuse of power, create mechanisms and institutions for citizen participation at all levels of government, strengthen the role of public watchdog organizations, enhance responsible investigative journalism, and publicize successful efforts by government agencies to address and prevent the abuse of power.
The 111 proposals received by the Eurasia foundation were reviewed by a board of local and international experts in a rigorous two-phase process. The 10 awards to be announced at the ceremony primarily target activities in the regions outside of Tbilisi.
In addition to the Eurasia Rule of Law program, USAID supports legal reform programs to fight corruption and build a more transparent and effective legal system. These programs are administered through the American Bar Association and AMEX International, together with Georgian counterparts in the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Ministry of Justice, Council of Justice, the Judiciary, and Parliament.
The Eurasia award ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 29 in the Main Hall of the National Library. Please call 92-25-47 for more information.