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Public Opinion Survey Residents of Georgia

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Public Opinion Survey Residents of Georgia Public Opinion Survey Residents of Georgia May 20 – June 11, 2019 Detailed Methodology • The field work was carried out by Institute of Polling & Marketing. The survey was conducted by Dr. Rasa Alisauskiene of the public and market research company Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of the International Republican Institute’s Center for Insights in Survey Research. • Data was collected throughout Georgia between May 20 and June 11, 2019, through face-to-face interviews at respondents’ home. • The sample consisted of 1,500 permanent residents of Georgia aged 18 or older and eligible to vote. It is representative of the general population by age, gender, region and size of the settlement. • A multistage probability sampling method was used with random route and next-birthday respondent selection procedures. • Stage one: All districts of Georgia are grouped into 10 regions. All regions of Georgia were surveyed (Tbilisi city – as separate region). • Stage two: Selection of the settlements – cities and villages. • Settlements were selected at random. The number of selected settlements in each region was proportional to the share of population living in a particular type of the settlement in each region. • Stage three: Primary sampling units were described. • The margin of error does not exceed plus, or minus 2.5 percent and the response rate was 68 percent. • The achieved sample is weighted for regions, gender, age, and urbanity. • Charts and graphs may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding. • The survey was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. 2 National Outlook In general, would you say that our country is heading in the right direction or in the wrong direction? Right direction Wrong direction Don't know/No answer 80% 70% 67% 70% 65% 65% 65% 66% 63% 63% 60% 58% 59% 60% 57% 56% 57% 56% 55% 54% 51% 55% 48% 48% 47% 48% 50% 50% 43% 43% 40% 38% 41% 41% 41% 42% 41% 39% 32% 31% 31% 33% 36% 29% 27% 30% 25% 24% 24% 25% 23% 21% 22% 27% 26% 25% 22% 20% 16% 22% 19% 19% 20% 16% 16% 16% 10% 14% 15% 14% 12% 13% 13% 12% 13% 10% 10% 10% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 6% 0% 4 How would you evaluate the prevailing mood of the Georgian population? Optimism Neutral Pessimism 100% 92% 92% 88% 90% 87% 83% 81% 82% 78% 76% 76% 77% 80% 75% 74% 73% 72% 70% 68% 66% 70% 64% 65% 59% 62% 60% 60% 50% 40% 33% 30% 29% 29% 30% 25% 25% 24% 23% 22% 21% 22% 19% 18% 18% 18% 17% 20% 16% 15% 13% 11% 8% 9% 8% 9% 7% 6% 6% 7% 6% 10% 4% 4% 4% 5% 5% 2% 3% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 3% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 5 How interested or uninterested are you in politics? Very interested Somewhat interested Somewhat uninterested Very uninterested Don't know/No answer Age 50+ 11% 34% 29% 25% Age 30-49 6% 34% 28% 32% 1% Age 18-29 6% 25% 33% 35% 1% Total 8% 32% 29% 30% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 6 What is the most important problem facing our country today? (Spontaneous response; up to two responses permitted) 59% Economy (Unemployment) 73% 11% Economy (Cost of living/High prices) 34% 7% Poverty 28% 5% Lost territories 7% 4% Economy (Other/General) 9% 2% Education 6% 2% Pensions 6% 1% Healthcare 5% 1% Internal conflicts 3% 1% External conflicts/War 3% Crime/Public Safety 1% 4% First Response 1% Agriculture 3% All Responses 1% Social services/benefits 2% 1% Economy (Small business opportunities/Access to loans) 2% 1% Environment 1% 1% Emigration 2% 1% Insecurity 2% Illicit drugs 2% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 7 What is the most important problem facing your town/village today? (Spontaneous response; up to two responses permitted) 31% Unemployment 43% 9% Drinking water 13% 7% Roads 12% 6% Poverty 13% 4% Infrastructure 8% 4% Economy 8% 4% Ecology 6% 3% Traffic jams 4% 2% Agriculture 4% 2% Low salaries/Low pensions 5% 1% Emigration 4% 1% Gasification 2% 1% Ugly constructions/Ugly buildings 3% First Response 1% All Responses Nothing 1% 1% Lost territories 2% 1% Lack of entertainment places 2% 1% Sewage system 1% 1% Public transport 2% 1% Irrigation water 2% 1% Unsanitary conditions 2% 1% High prices 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 8 What is the most important problem facing your household today? (Spontaneous response; up to two responses permitted) 29% Unemployment 36% 10% Poverty 17% 9% Low salaries 13% 9% Economy 13% 8% None 8% 6% Healthcare 12% 4% Bank debt 6% 3% Low pensions 6% First Response 2% All Responses Expensive medication 5% 2% Housing 2% 1% High utility taxes 3% 1% High prices on everything 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 9 Over the last 12 months*, the economic situation in Georgia has… Improved a lot Improved somewhat Stayed the same Worsened somewhat Worsened a lot Don't know/No answer Jun-19 2% 7% 28% 31% 30% 2% Apr-18 1% 7% 27% 28% 35% 2% Mar-17 1% 7% 21% 34% 36% 1% Mar-16 1% 6% 25% 31% 34% 3% Feb-15 7% 29% 33% 29% 2% Feb-14 1% 15% 52% 22% 7% 3% May-13 1% 26% 53% 12% 3% 5% Feb-13 1% 26% 58% 10% 1%4% Nov-12 1% 11% 78% 7%1%2% Jul-12 2% 28% 47% 15% 5% 4% Mar-12 2% 26% 45% 17% 6% 4% Nov-11 2% 25% 42% 19% 8% 3% May-11 1% 19% 30% 32% 14% 3% Oct-10 1% 24% 27% 31% 13% 3% Mar-10 1% 20% 35% 27% 13% 3% Oct-09 2% 19% 34% 25% 15% 4% Jun-09 1% 6% 20% 37% 34% 2% Feb-09 1% 8% 19% 37% 34% 2% Sep-08 3% 12% 20% 39% 23% 4% Feb-08 4% 20% 28% 30% 16% 2% Sep-07 1% 17% 27% 32% 22% 1% Feb-07 3% 34% 27% 22% 10% 3% Apr-06 2% 30% 28% 25% 11% 3% Oct-05 3% 34% 32% 18% 7% 5% Jun-05 5% 44% 33% 10% 4% 4% Oct-04 4% 40% 38% 10% 3% 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% * In surveys before 2008, the question referenced a period of 3 months. In surveys from 2008 to 2017, the reference period was 2 months. 10 Over the last 12 months*, how has the economic situation of your household changed? Improved a lot Improved somewhat Stayed the same Worsened somewhat Worsened a lot Don't know/No answer Jun-19 1% 10% 40% 27% 22% Apr-18 7% 41% 22% 29% 1% Mar-17 1% 5% 37% 28% 28% 1% Mar-16 4% 41% 26% 29% Feb-15 4%0% 45% 28% 22% 1% Feb-14 8% 64% 20% 7%1% May-13 1% 11% 70% 13% 4%1% Feb-13 10% 76% 11% 2%1% Nov-12 6% 83% 8% 1%1% Jul-12 1% 9% 61% 21% 8% Mar-12 1% 9% 54% 23% 12% 1% Nov-11 1% 11% 53% 23% 11% 1% May-11 1% 9% 44% 29% 16% 1% Oct-10 1% 11% 42% 29% 16% 1% Mar-10 1% 9% 49% 24% 15% 2% Oct-09 1% 10% 48% 23% 16% 2% Jun-09 4% 38% 26% 31% 1% Feb-09 4% 33% 32% 30% 1% Sep-08 1% 6% 45% 28% 19% 1% Feb-08 1% 10% 48% 26% 15% 1% Sep-07 1% 7% 46% 26% 20% Feb-07 1% 14% 49% 21% 13% 1% Apr-06 1% 14% 49% 22% 14% 1% Oct-05 1% 15% 57% 18% 8% 1% Jun-05 2% 21% 58% 12% 6%1% Oct-04 1% 16% 61% 14% 6%1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% * In surveys before 2008, the question referenced a period of 3 months. In surveys from 2008 to 2017, the reference period was 2 months. 11 How do you feel about the direction of each of the following issues during the past year? Progressed Neither progressed nor regressed Regressed Don't know/No answer Freedom of speech 38% 39% 20% 3% Media independence 30% 44% 21% 5% Individual human rights 24% 47% 26% 3% Education 21% 42% 29% 8% Democracy 20% 46% 28% 6% National security 14% 43% 36% 6% Fighting crime 13% 30% 52% 5% Fighting corruption 11% 38% 42% 9% Economy 8% 26% 65% 1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 12 International Relations How would you evaluate the current state of the relationship between Georgia and the following countries? Good Neither good nor bad Bad No answer Ukraine 90% 5% 2%3% United States 87% 7% 2% 4% European Union 87% 6% 2% 5% Turkey 72% 15% 8% 5% Armenia 66% 19% 7% 8% China 58% 21% 7% 14% Azerbaijan 56% 17% 20% 7% Iran 45% 24% 11% 20% Russia 4% 7% 86% 3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 14 Which of these countries do you consider the most important political/economic partners for Georgia? Which of these countries do you consider the greatest political/economic threat to Georgia? Political partners Economic partners Political threats Economic threats 79% 80% 70% 60% 57% 50% 50% 47% 39% 40% 33% 29% 30% 25% 19% 20% 17% 13% 14% 11% 12% 9% 10% 8% 7% 7% 7% 7% 8% 6% 5% 3%3% 4% 4% 3% 3%4% 1%1% 1%1% 2%1% 2% 1% 1% 2% 2%2%2%2% 0% Iran None China Russia Turkey Ukraine Armenia Azerbaijan answer United States Don't know/No European Union European 15 Do you support or oppose further dialogue with Russia? Fully support Somewhat support Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose Don't know/No answer Jun-19 46% 29% 7% 12% 5% Apr-18 47% 30% 7% 12% 4% Mar-17 53% 29% 6% 10% 2% Mar-16 59% 24% 4% 10% 3% Feb-15 65% 20% 4% 8% 3% Feb-14 76% 16% 3% 4% 2% May-13 82% 11% 2%3%2% Feb-13 82% 13% 2%2% 1% Nov-12 83% 11% 2% 2%2% Mar-12 74% 19% 2%3%2% Nov-11 73% 17% 2% 4% 4% May-11 78% 16% 2%2%2% Oct-10 84% 12% 1%1% 2% Mar-10 78% 15% 2% 2%3% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 16 How do you rate the current government’s handling of Georgia’s relationship with Russia? Very positively Somewhat positively Somewhat negatively Very negatively Don't know/No answer Jun-19 7% 26% 30% 22% 15% Apr-18 4% 30% 31% 23% 12% Mar-17 15% 39% 24% 11% 11% Mar-16 14% 45% 18% 11% 11% Feb-15 17% 42% 18% 8% 15% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 17 Given the current state of Georgia’s relationship with Russia, how secure do you feel living in Georgia? Very secure More secure than insecure More insecure than secure Very insecure Don’t'know/No answer Jun-19 16% 37% 32% 8% 7% Apr-18 11% 37% 36% 8% 8% Mar-17 11% 47% 28% 9% 4% Mar-16 12% 41% 32% 10% 5% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 18 Do you think that Russian aggression towards Georgia is over or is it still going on? It is over and unlikely to resume It is over but likely to resume It is still going on Don't know/No answer Jun-19 5% 17% 71% 7% Mar-17 10% 23% 60% 7% Mar-16 9% 19% 67% 5% Feb-15 6% 21%
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