The Committee considered two legislative initiatives at the sitting. The legislative initiatives of Tinatin Khidasheli on changes to the Law on “Local Self-Government” and on changes to the Law on the “Capital of Georgia – Tbilisi” imply legal regulation of the issue of state provision of the nursery schools. They also imply definition of the basic educational-cognitive program in order to avoid manipulation by the local municipal bodies to impose extra liabilities to the citizens.

According to the Constitution, the state provision of the nursery schools shall be prescribed under the law, though according to the legislation, this issue is not regulated. The new initiative implies imposition of any kind of fee or payment for the service by the nursery schools.

The second legislative initiative as introduced by Eliso Chapidze. It concerns the changes and amendments to the Law on Broadcasting.

Te reason for adoption of the draft is release of media from political influence which the authors of the draft law consider as impossible without inculcation of the standards on media funding transparency. Must-carry and must-offer legal guarantees cannot provide the sufficient guarantees for media diversity.

The essence of the changes lies in the fact that in order to provide more efficiency of the Board of Trustees the rules of formation and responsibilities thereof shall be altered. The number of the Board members shall be reduced to 9. The candidates to be nominated to the President of Georgia, shall be selected by the Special Commission established by the Speaker of the Parliament.

In accordance with the initiative, the Chapter III shall be added to the law on Broadcasting named as “The Public Broadcaster of Ajara Autonomous Republic”. This Chapter regulates the rules of formation and activity of the Public Broadcaster of Ajara Autonomous Republic and the leadership thereof. It is noteworthy that the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Public Broadcaster of Ajara Autonomous Republic is at the same time the Member of the Board of Trustees of Public Broadcaster of Georgia.

The objective of the initiative is establishment of the legislative base for the public broadcaster. Deriving from the high interest to the issue, the non-member MPs were also attending the Committee sitting and despite the fact that the Committee solely discussed the issue of adoption of the initiative, the long debates were held and various opinions were expressed regarding the Articles.

The Committee supported submission of the initiatives in capacity of the draft laws.