26
May
2014
On May 2, 2014, the Georgian parliament unanimously passed the law on the elimination of any form of discrimination. The stated objective of the law is to ensure that any physical or legal entity equally benefits from all rights defined by Georgian legislation, irrespective of race, skin color, language, sex, citizenship, place of origin, birth or residence, wealth or class status, religion or belief, national, ethnic or social belonging, profession, marital or health status, disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, political or other considerations, etc.
23
May
2014
The existence of a sizeable shadow (or second, informal) economy in the USSR was and is well-known. The Soviet era was characterized by a very rigid formal system with a high level of bureaucratization and inefficient planning. This resulted in many problems, both in terms of production and consumption. Soviet consumers experienced constant frustration and dissatisfaction caused by endlessly searching for goods and services they demanded, the need to queue for them without any guarantee of getting what they wanted, and the risk of having instead to accept a lower quality version or even to postpone (sometimes indefinitely) the purchase altogether (Kornai 1992).
19
May
2014
During my morning shower, I like to think about Georgia’s economic prospects and how the country should develop.
16
May
2014
In my essay on economic development (“What worked”, MESSENGER, July 3/2013) I cited the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on “A New Global Partnership” (UN Publications, 2013) that aims at eradicating absolute poverty and transforming national economies through sustainable development. Thus, in the chapter on “goals and global impact,” the Panel stresses that poverty must be reduced while mitigating global climate change and promoting a “low-carbon trajectory”.
12
May
2014
Speaking with managers of companies operating in Georgia, one frequently hears complaints about a lack of certain specialists in the Georgian labor market. For instance, firms operating in the construction sector are often forced to hire foreign experts, as they do not find sufficiently qualified engineers and architects in Georgia. The shortage is particularly pressing in technical subjects and the sciences.
