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.