Online Closing event of the Twinning project in Sakartvelo

On Thursday, 19^th November 2020, the final Steering Commitee (SC) meeting of the Twinning project “Support to Implementation of the Civil Service Reform in Georgia” was held online with the participation of the SC members, Ambassadors of Lithuania and Georgia, key stakeholders and represetnatives of Georgian public institutions. The main goal of this summarising event was to present the results and acheivements of the project and share the experience that both partner sides acquired during its implemetnation.

Dr. Catherine Kardava, the Head of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) of Georgia and Beneficiary Project Leader, who moderated the meeting, welcomed the participants of the last, extended SC meeting.“ It is very important that the values that characterize Twinning in general have been fully realized during the Twinning project between the Georgian and Lithuanian civil service. In particular, there has been professional rapprochement between the Georgian and Lithuanian civil servants. All the results were achieved and close professional relations established between the MS and BC teams would hopefully continue beyond the project’s timeframe and contributing to making the relations between the two countries closer and stronger,” Dr. Kardava said.

The Member State Project Leader, Vice Chancellor of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Alminas Mačiulis, on behalf of the Lithuanian team, in his turn thanked for the opportunity to work with a very dedicated group of people, which helped significantly in ensuring the achievement of all mandatory results. “During the project implementation period, the partnership between the two countries has strengthened, which will help to make sure that the achieved results are sustained. Lithuania will remain a true friend and reliable partner to Sakartvelo in the future,” stressed Mr. Alminas Mačiulis.

Ambassador of Lithuania to Georgia Mr. Andrius Kalindra also addressed the meeting participants noting that it was particularly important that the project continued functioning even during the pandemic. „More Georgia in Europe and more Europe in Georgia,“ wished Mr. Kalindra. Ambassador of Georgia to Lithuania Mr. Levan Gvachliani, in his turn thanked all the parties involved in the process of implementation of this project and stressed the importance of firm and longstanding cooperation between Sakartvelo with Lithuania.

Resident Twinning Advisor Mrs. Reda Rekašienė and her Counterpart Irina Aghapishvili took the floor and reported on the work carried out by the project teams over the last two years and the outcomes of the project for the Civil Service reform in Georgia. The main achievements under framework of Twinning project were:

• CSB staff trained in different areas to enhance their professional skills for better performance
• Trainers from CSB and HRs of public institutions capable of delivering trainings on HR topics
• A number of Guidelines and plans developed aimed at enhancing CSB’s institutional and organizational capacities
• Activities carried out to strengthen the IT system and skills of CSB, including Asset Declaration system and cyber security
• Skills and capacities of CSB reinforced for effective communication

Specific assistance delivered during COVID-19 pandemic to help CSB in responding to the rising need of effectively implementing remote work practicesThe sharing and implementation of this experience has already been converted into some benefits of working process of civil service bureau. The result of successful cooperation will be converted into continuity of progress and process of Implementation of the Civil Service Reform in Georgia.

The overall objective of the project, which was implemented by a consortium of public institutions from Lithuania and by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) of Georgia from October 2018 to November 2020, was to enhance the professionalism of the civil service in Georgia in line with the EU Principles of Public Administration, aiming to develop professional standards, impartiality and accountability within the civil service and to improve transparency, accessibility and the quality of services to citizens.

The total budget of this two-year EU-funded Twinning project was 1.2 million euros, and it has generated important results, facilitating processes and mechanisms to implement the needed changes in the civil service of Georgia. The Lithuanian partners of the project were the Office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Civil Service Department, the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Social Fund Agency.

As an initiative of the European Commission, the Twinning instrument was launched in 1998 to support candidate countries in their integration process to the EU. It ensures institutional cooperation bringing together public sector expertise from EU Member States and beneficiary country of the Programme.

 Project results representing video