Group to Develop Integration and Tolerance Strategy

A 17-member council, involving civil society representatives and senior government officials, has been established to develop a draft strategy and action plan for national integration and tolerance issues.

The group, in accordance with a presidential decree, must submit the draft strategy to the government before October 31, 2008. It must then be submitted to Parliament for approval before the end of the year.

The group is chaired by Tamar Kintsurashvili, a former general director of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, who was appointed as a presidential aide for ethnic minority issues in April.