Today the International Republican Institute (IRI) published the results of its social study conducted in Georgia. According to the survey the ‘Georgian Dream’ and ‘United National Movement’ coalitions may receive almost the same number of votes in the parliamentary elections. The study was sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). 1,500 permanent residents over 18 years old were surveyed in Georgia.
Respondents were asked to answer who they would support if parliamentary elections were held next Sunday. It turned out that 20% of the population is ready to vote for the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ coalition, 19% would support the former ruling party ‘United National Movement’ (UNM).
Party of ex-Defense Minister Irakli Alasania ‘Free Democrats’ was supported by 13% of respondents, ‘Labour Party’ by 8%, ‘Patriots Alliance’ 4%, and the party of Georgian parliament ex-speaker Nino Burjanadze ‘United Democratic Movement’ by 3%, Sputnik Georgia reports.
15% of respondents believe that the UNM will be able to solve important stated matters better than anybody else. The ‘Georgian Dream’ was supported by 13% of respondents, and ‘Free Democrats’ by 5%.
As for the ranking of politicians’ and public figures’ sympathy, world-famous opera singer Paata Burchuladze and philanthropist, who founded the political organization ‘Foundation for Development of Georgia’, tops the rating. He was supported by 75% of the respondents. Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia David Sergeenko was in second place (64%).
Former Defense Minister Irakli Alasania (60%), President Giorgi Margvelashvili (60%) and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili (56%) were among those five leaders. Ex-Speaker of the Parliament David Bakradze (54%) was after them.
The Georgian Parliamentary elections are to take place in Georgia on October 8th. We are sure that 56% of respondents will participate in the elections and 31% of the will fulfill their civic duty.
The member of the ‘Expert Club of Georgia’ Vakhtang Maisaya noted in an interview with a ‘Vestnik Kavkaza’ correspondent that these were the facts for policy.
"Firstly, the American IRI actually a mouthpiece of US foreign policy. Some US forces are using the so-called ‘soft power’ at this stage to promote their ‘puppets’. The survey was conducted in order to influence the Georgian public. The survey has no relation to reality, on the contrary, the survey allows to tell me that the level of influence of the UNM has sharply declined. The special political methods used by the IRI now give an absolutely negative result. We should take it not as the basis and reality, but rather as a anti-reality. I would say that it was anti-political marketing because the IRI has already announced the corresponding predictions three times, but they have never justified," the analyst said.
The head of the Institute for Strategy Management Peter Mamradze said with a ‘VK’ correspondent that he was agree with Vakhtang Maisaya, adding the survey results didn’t reflect that the coalition of Saakashvili's party would receive the equal number of votes in the parliamentary elections.
"I'll name two reasons. Firstly, I know how such surveys are conducted. They are conducted not foreign employees themselves who work in the IRI, the Republican Institute, but Georgian companies, which were ordered to do this. Secondly, the the administrative resources ‘Georgian Dream’ control all the finances. It has alway been essential fact in Georgia,’’ the expert said.
