New Regulations in State Chancellery Angers Journalists

According to new regulations adopted by the President?s Administration, journalists will no longer be able to move freely inside the State Chancellery, where the President?s and Prime Minister?s administrations are located.
 
Until now, reporters crowded around the entrance hall in the State Chancellery and in front of the elevator in an attempt to obtain comments from each official entering or leaving the State Chancellery.
 
The President?s spokesperson Alana Gagloeva announced that from now on journalists will be able to freely move in the State Chancellery only on the third floor, where the press office of the President?s Administration is located.
 
She also said that information will be available to the journalists only via the spokespersons of the government or the President, adding that the Ministers themselves will make comments only regarding ?serious issues.?
 
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli also said on February 21 that the new regulation does not aim at restricting access to information. ?You will have all the conditions [necessary] to receive information and the working process [of the government] will become more transparent. Our cooperation will become more civilized now,? Zurab Nogaideli said, while speaking with reporters, Inter-Press news agency reported.