In September 2024, the average price for preparing a standard portion of Imeretian khachapuri reached 6.48 GEL. During August and September 2024, the Khachapuri Index showed an upward trend, with prices increasing by 13% in September compared to July 2024.
Calm before the storm: the polarization index remained stable in September. During the month, the ruling party, Georgian Dream, unveiled its candidate list featuring well-known athletes. Meanwhile, two opposition parties attempted, but failed, to form a new coalition ahead of the upcoming election. In addition, leaders of the Georgian Dream stirred controversy with remarks about the 2008 war with Russia.
The US Department of Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), has imposed sanctions on two Georgian government officials and two private citizens for their roles in suppressing fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. According to the U.S. Treasury, these individuals were involved in violent crackdowns on protestors related to Georgia’s controversial "foreign influence law," passed in May 2024.
Geostat has published its preliminary estimate of real GDP growth for July 2024, which stands at 13%. In addition, the estimated growth for the first and second quarters of 2024 reached 8.4% and 9.5%, respectively. As a result, the average real GDP growth from January to July 2024 was 9.7%.
The ISET Policy Institute participated in the 2024 FREE Network Retreat, held in Chisinau, Moldova, from September 11-13. The retreat brought together both researchers and administrative staff from member institutions of the Forum for Research on Eastern Europe and Emerging Economies (FREE Network) for strategic discussions on economic research, capacity building, and communication practices.