31
March
2021
On 29 December 2020, the parliament of Georgia approved the state budget for 2021, which includes allocations of around 18.3 billion GEL. From which the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture (MEPA) will receive 451.6 million (2.5% of the total budget allocation). MEPA will direct 10 mln. GEL towards the Environmental Protection and Agriculture Development Program (2.2% of MEPA’s total budget), with around 389.6 mln. (86.3% of MEPA’s total budget) to be allocated to agricultural development, and approximately 51.9 mln. GEL (11.5%) to be spent on environmental protection.
30
March
2021
The Khachapuri Index kept declining in March 2021, with the average cost of cooking one standard Imeretian khachapuri reaching 4.61 GEL. This is 1.7% lower month-on-month (compared to February 2021), and 3.4% higher year-on-year (compared to March 2020).
29
March
2021
ISET would like to heartily congratulate resident faculty members Norberto Pignatti and Karine Torosyan on the publication of a new article, “Patience, Cognitive Abilities, and Cognitive Effort: Survey and Experimental Evidence From a Developing Country” in American Behavioral Scientist.
26
March
2021
ISET would like to thank the Japanese embassy for organizing and sponsoring our latest public lecture, graciously arranged by ambassador Akira Imamura. The ambassador kindly addressed the audience and offered his introductions to Professor Masahiko Takeda, who went on to pose a captivating presentation on the history and future of the Japanese economy.
22
March
2021
The COVID pandemic raises a vast number of questions for economists, though researchers have mostly focused on advanced economies and on the economic ‘scarring’ that the virus has inflicted. Not all, however, as a few economists have been interested in the likely evolution of cities after the pandemic. They observe that some cities, in particular travel hubs, have been epidemic hotspots, while many others, usually smaller, have been reasonably spared. More rural areas have also been less affected, although with strong variation across regions.
