COVID-19

By their various policies and situations, local governments are laboratories of democracy, allowing us to learn from their diverse experiences. In this spirit, the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) has produced two reports, now available in English, of in-depth research on the impact of the pandemic on Georgian municipalities and local economies.

Challenges of Municipal Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic shows how Georgian municipalities actively participated in not only to the national government’s efforts to trace and contain the pandemic, but also provided much-needed support to residents. The report highlights the need for local governments to be empowered with new competencies to be able to undertake a full range of anti-pandemic measures.

Local Economy Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic looks at how the disease has variably impacted Georgia’s territories. The report confirms that touristic regions were hit the worst, while economic activity was also depressed in areas with insufficient means for remote working. The research highlights successful measures taken by local governments to cushion the pandemic’s economic impact.