The minimum wage now amounts to only $7 a month, by far the lowest in the region. And Georgia’s business-friendly political consensus is not interested in change.
The Georgian capital has become a stage set for a Hollywood action flick; some joke that the name of the film franchise is just driving as usual in the city.
The inaugural Caspian Economic Forum, which was held in the hyper-developed but under-visited Awaza tourist zone, was high on expressions of intent but low on firm outcomes.
The government has prioritized improving the country’s air transportation. But reestablishing a national airline does not appear to be in the plans for now.
The government is introducing legislation that would make it easier to investigate businesses in Armenia, fulfilling a promise to increase transparency.
Tbilisi’s Russian expat community disputes Moscow’s narrative of a surge of Russophobia in the country, but some say that the ongoing tensions have put them in a complicated place.
Georgia’s economy is increasingly dependent on tourism, and that sector has become increasingly dependent on Russians. The losses from Russia’s tourism embargo could cost the country hundreds of millions of dollars.
The country announced a 40 percent increase to the minimum wage, on top of another increase earlier this year. Many worried the move would only spur inflation.