The NATO
peer review team praised the Ministry of Defence for its strong support for
taking forward NATO’s anticorruption program and a significant progress in
fighting corruption, reports GHN according to MOD’s information.
Deputy
Defence Minister Tamar Karosanidze and Head of the NATO Liaison Office in
Georgia William Lahue made remarks for media representatives regarding the
results of the report. The NATO Building Integrity (BI) Peer Review
report analyzes the steps taken by the Ministry to promote transparency and
integrity, and highlights the areas requiring further improvement.
“Increasing the use of electronic procurement systems, establishing of a
simplified electronic tender procedure, engaging the civil society through
regular contacts, establishing of the Citizen Reception Office, using military
selection boards, independent testing of personnel and a balanced interview
process in the hiring of new civilian staff, and using of an online asset
declaration system were identified as examples of good practice and innovative
approaches of the Ministry that it ought to share with others,” the report
says.
The
report has been sent to the Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania by acting
assistant secretary general, James Appathurai. In the letter attached to the
report he commends the Ministry of Defence of Georgia for its frank and open
exchange with the review team during the visit in December. “It is recommended
that Georgia make use of both NATO and Southeastern European Defence
Ministerial (SEDM) tools to promote your experiences and lessons learned. The
BI team and the NATO Headquarters, as well as the network of NATO BI Subject
Matter Experts and Implementing Partners, remain at your disposal and stand
ready to assist you in taking forward work to strengthen transparency,
accountability, and the integrity as well promoting good practice,” says James
Appathurai in his letter.
The
report is based on the self-assessment questionnaire prepared by the MoD and
information gathered during the visit of the NATO BI Experts Team in 9-12
December. The Building Integrity (BI) Programme is part of NATO’s commitment to
strengthening good governance in the defence and security sector established by
the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in 2007.