IRI Releases Expanded Nationwide Survey of Georgian Public Opinion

Tbilisi, Georgia – IRI released its latest poll of Georgian public opinion.  The poll, conducted October 27 – November 11, 2011, is a comprehensive analysis of attitudes regarding the current Georgian economic, social and political landscape. 

Among the findings in the poll, unemployment continues the biggest problem facing Georgia (54 percent), followed by territorial integrity at 18 percent.  These numbers are virtually unchanged from the previous poll.  Support for NATO integration remains strong, with 80 percent either fully or somewhat supporting this goal, up from 77 percent previously.  The three most trusted institutions continue to be the church (93 percent), the army (89 percent), and the police (87 percent).  The top three are followed distantly by the president’s office and Georgian media (70 and 69 percent, respectively). 

IRI has been conducting polls in Georgia since May 2003, prior to the Rose Revolution.  The data collected is used both to gauge public opinion, and also to assist IRI’s political party partners with building platforms based on the issues closest to the Georgian people. 

The randomly collected sample of 4,002 men and women of voting age was collected nationwide.  The study was designed and analyzed by Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization and was fielded by the Institute for Polling and Marketing under the supervision of IRI.  The margin of error for the national sample does not exceed plus or minus 1.5 percent with a response rate of 72 percent.