This study analyzes the reasons behind citizens’ refusal to participate in public deliberation through the General Assembly of a Settlement mechanism in remote communities of Georgia. The report draws on the existing academic literature on both effective deliberation processes and reasons behind public disengagement in order to explain the indifference toward deliberation processes by populations in rural Georgia. By applying an analytical framework focusing on effective deliberation and the logic of non-participation, this research report uses a single case study (Mestia municipality) and qualitative research methods to show how superficial deliberation processes cause public disenchantment toward, and a lack of engagement in local decisionmaking processes and foster a public perception of civic participation mechanisms as ineffective.

This paper concentrates on the production and post-production (of audiovisual content) value chains within the creative industries sector and aims to facilitate dialogue between private and public sectors on the most critical policy/regulatory challenges. The paper is developed by PMCG under the USAID Economic Security Program. 

The study examines organic agricultural products in the Tianeti municipality and Lower Pshavi area (Dusheti municipality) of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region in order to introduce more economic opportunities in these deprived rural areas of Georgia. 

This study was conducted by PMC Research in collaboration with Biological Farming Association ELKANA, as part of an Austrian Development Cooperation project.

The study examines the rural tourism value chain in the Tianeti municipality and Lower Pshavi area (Dusheti municipality) of Mtskheta-Mtianeti region in order to introduce more economic opportunities in these deprived rural areas of Georgia. 

This study was conducted by PMC Research in collaboration with Biological Farming Association ELKANA, as part of an Austrian Development Cooperation project.

The paper reviews developmental implications of labour migration from Central Asia, analyses policy gaps in development-oriented migration management and offers recommendations to facilitate impactful engagement of local authorities in migration governance.

This paper is written by Dr. Giorgi Khishtovani, Director at PMC Research, with contribution from Maya Komakhidze, researcher at PMC Research. 

The aim of this document is to identify the key economic policy/regulatory challenges in Georgia’s tourism value chain and to facilitate dialogue between private and public sectors including a wide spectrum of civil society and political representatives. The paper is developed by PMCG under the USAID Economic Security Program. 

This study reviews each activity defined in the 2019-2020 action plan, which aims to develop the infrastructural part of the penitentiary system, and evaluates its implementation against pre-defined indicators.

The main objective of the research is to study the impacts that free trade agreements with the EU (DCFTA) and China had on Georgian economy and political implications that they might result in.

It’s been five years after DCFTA was implemented and two years have passed since FTA with China. It is interesting to conduct ex-post analysis to find out how these FTAs affected Georgia’s economy. Goal of ex-post analysis will be to determine what qualitative and quantitative impacts are observed after Georgia signed DCFTA and FTA with China, on macro and sectoral levels. Also, the research paper will try to find if DCFTA and FTA with China resulted in welfare gains. To be more precise, the paper aims to determine whether the increase in trade was a result of trade creation or trade was diverted.

Another aim is to analyze quantitative effects on imports and exports on different aggregation levels. For conclusion, research paper will analyze differences and similarities between DCFTA and FTA with China and based on these empirical findings, the research will identify possible threats and opportunities, which may come from future free trade agreements.

This policy brief attempts to understand China-Georgia relations. Georgia-China economic relations have received particular attention, yet there is a relative lack of research on how both Georgia and China see bilateral relations, and what possible factors could be limiting the depth of the partnership. Discussing this is important as Georgia is building closer ties with the EU in particular, and the Western institutions and states in general, while China’s suggested model of development stands opposite to Western liberal order.