The year 2017 turned out to be a very fruitful one for ISET and the ISET Policy Institute. On January 17, Eric Livny, the President of ISET and the ISET Policy Institute, and Dimitri Kumsisvhili, the First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Georgia, signed an official memorandum of understanding between ISET Policy Institute and the Ministry of Finance.

Between 1990 and 1994, the Georgian economy experienced one of the sharpest declines in economic activity in recent history, with GDP per capita falling by more than 70 percent. Since then, however, especially after 2003, it has been growing quite fast, with the Georgian GDP per capita overtaking the 1990 level in 2013. However, the Georgian agricultural sector, in the same period, has been characterized by a quite different trend.

An ISET-PI team led by EEPRC’s Head Norberto Pignatti is conducting a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on Law of Water Resources Management.

On December 23, a lunch meeting was organized for EPAC members to discuss whether laws on antidumping are necessary. The event was organized by Georgian Lawyers for Independent Professions, Governing for Growth (G4G), and the Society of Free Individuals. ISET Policy Institute researcher Gigla Mikautadze was invited as a guest speaker and presented his views on the need for anti-dumping regulations and possible economic consequences.

Back in October 2015, a team of ISET researchers visited Charity House Catharsis to donate food on World Food Day, celebrated around the globe on October 16th. Catharsis was founded in 1990 and provides daily dinner to 310 elderly in need. Although the major function of the charity house is to provide food, Catharsis also offers other services like medical assistance, a relaxation room, chapel, rehabilitation hall, library, and café.