The recent amendment to Georgia’s tax code, known as the “offshores law,” has sparked significant concern regarding the integrity of Georgia’s financial system. This policy brief examines the implications of this amendment in the context of Georgia’s recent political and regulatory developments, which have raised alarms about the potential risks of money laundering and sanctions evasion.

ISET Policy Institute, which since 2011 has been in service of the development agenda of the country through economic policy dialogue and evidence-based economic research condemns the government’s recent actions and reintroduction of the so-called ‘Russian Law’ that jeopardizes country’s European integration and puts its cooperation with authorities on hold until the Georgian government returns into service of the country’s European aspiration.

On April 4th, ISET Policy Institute hosted a public seminar with discussions centered around air pollution, poverty, and equity in Tbilisi. Led by Alan Fuchs and Sandra Baquie from the Poverty and Equity Global Practice at the World Bank, the public seminar titled 'Poverty and Distributional Consequences of Air Pollution in Tbilisi' provided a platform for in-depth exploration and dialogue on this pressing issue.

In March 2024, the average cost of cooking one standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri stood at 6.40GEL. This latest average price marks a -1.8% decrease compared to March 2023. Additionally, in month-to-month developments, the price of khachapuri decreased by -6.4% compared to the previous month (February 2024).

Political polarization erodes trust in public institutions, it damages political process, negatively affects economic development, distracts social development and relationships in society, and it may eventually lead to the backsliding of democracy.