Challenges of Decentralization in Georgia

Abstract

The article presents the results of empirical research on the current state and stages of the local self-governance and decentralization process in Georgia, as well as its peculiarities, which are conditioned, on the one hand, by the country’s historical development and, on the other hand, by the existing domestic and foreign circumstances. The empirical study evaluates Georgia’s decentralization strategy, the ongoing decentralization process today, and the factors and reasons hindering it. The article analyzes potential measures that should be prioritized in the near, medium, and long-term perspectives to advance decentralization in Georgia. Special attention is given to the problems of the decentralization process in Georgia’s peripheral regions. Based on the research findings, appropriate conclusions are drawn, and relevant recommendations are developed to accelerate and improve the pace of the ongoing decentralization process in Georgia.