Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) constitute a research database fully based on various global rankings and assessments (e.g. Freedom House, IREX Media Sustainability Index, Open Budget Index, World Justice Project, etc., 32 in total). These ratings and assessments on their end reflect the views and evaluations stemming from surveying representatives of research institutions, CSOs, international organizations, as well as the private sector. New aggregate indicators – WGI and relevant global rating, are constructed by combining the results of various assessments and databases. WGI rating covers 214 countries worldwide and evaluates them on the scale of 0-100% based on the following six indicators: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law and Control of Corruption. 

According to the World Bank data, Georgia obtained the highest assessment in governance indicators in 2014. Prior to this date Indicators of Georgia had been rising steadily and rapidly. During this period Georgia achieved considerable progress in the areas of Rule of Law and Control of Corruption.

However, the pace of the county’s development significantly slowed down since 2014. Although according to the latest assessment of the World Bank, in 2018 Georgia has advanced in the indicators of Regulatory Quality and Government Effectiveness, regress was identified in the directions of Voice and Accountability, Rule of Law and Political Stability. In addition, instead of showing progress in fighting corruption Georgia was only able to receive the same evaluation within the indicator as in 2014. 

- Control of Corruption

Captures the perception of both petty and elite forms of corruption and of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain.

Based on the latest assessment in 2018 Georgia received the highest score in Control of Corruption than in any other indicator. However, there has been regress in the direction as compared to the previous years. Instead of achieving progress the country was only able to return to the same level of fighting corruption as in 2014. 

Despite the regress in 2018, Georgia has the highest score in the given indicator within the region of Eastern Europe.

- Rule of Law

Captures the perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement regulations that permit and promote private sector development.

According to the assessment, the state of Rule of Law in Georgia significantly increased from 2013 to 2014. However, from 2014 the picture was changed, and the level of Rule of Law in Georgia was continuously worsening. Although the evaluation slightly increased in 2018, it still has not returned to the same level of development as in 2014.

Within the region of Eastern Europe, the evaluation of Rule of Law in Georgia is closest to the one of Romania and lower than in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary.

- Voice and Accountability 

Captures the extent to which a country’s citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, freedom of expression, freedom of association and free media.

The evaluation of Georgia in the indicator of Voice and Accountability is only slightly higher than the half of the maximum possible score (56.16%). Although Georgia has advanced its score compared to the previous year, the country was still unable to show the same level of Voice and Accountability as in 2014-2015.

The assessment of Voice and Accountability in Georgia exceeds those of Georgia’s neighboring countries as well as non-EU member states of Eastern Europe, however, it is lower than all those Eastern European countries which are the members of the EU.

- Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism

Captures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism.

Regardless of the fact that Georgia has never received a high score in the indicator of Political Stability, the evaluation further in 2018 and reached only 30%.

Georgia has one of the lowest scores in the indicator of Political Stability within the region and exceeds the evaluation of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan only.

- Government Effectiveness

Evaluates the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its political independence.

In 2018 Government Effectiveness in Georgia was assessed with a score of 74%. The state of Government Effectiveness significantly worsened in Georgia during the period of 2014-2015. However since then the position of the country was steadily increasing and reached the highest score in 2018. 

With regard to Government Effectiveness, the evaluation of Georgia exceeds those of such European countries as Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

- Regulatory Quality

Assesses the ability of the government to formulate and implement regulations that permit and promote private sector development.

Together with Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality constitutes the criteria, in which Georgia received the highest evaluation compared to previous years - 83.17%.

The commitment of Georgia to initiate and implement reforms promoting private sector development received one of the highest scores in Eastern Europe and is only lagging behind the Czech Republic.

Conlusion

For the purposes of ensuring continuous development of democratic governance in Georgia and bringing it closer to the EU states, it is crucial to emphasize progress achieved by the country and at the same time internalize the problems identified by the Worldwide Governance Indicators. This is particularly important in regards to the directions in which Georgia has shown regress in the latest assessment of 2019 - Voice and Accountability, Rule of Law and Political Stability.

We hope that the government will take appropriate measures and implement effective reforms that will return Georgia to the pace of rapid development observed in the period preceding 2014, which will also be reflecting in the future assessments of Governance Indicators by the World Bank.

%MCEPASTEBIN%