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63% of respondents say the number of jobs has increased the last year. (DF Watch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–54 percent of Georgians say their country has democracy now, while 35 percent say there is no democracy in Georgia, according to a poll by National Democratic Institute (NDI).

These numbers show a clear upward trend; in September, 44 percent said there was democracy in the country, while in June 2013, 38 percent thought so.

NDI on Wednesday published the results of a new poll on public attitudes in Georgia, conducted in November.

63 percent of the questioned say that the number of jobs has not increased since the parliamentary election in 2012. 4 percent say the number has not increased, while 22 think it has been reduced.

31 percent consider themselves employed, while 69 say they are unemployed. These numbers have not significantly changed compared to previous surveys.

Asked about their situation today, compared to the period before the parliamentary election in 2012, 75 percent said that their household and their situation is the same. 15 percent said it has improved, 10 percent said it is worse.

53 percent think Georgia is moving in the right direction, 28 percent say it is not changing at all, while 9 percent think Georgia is moving in the wrong direction.

Respondents were also asked about the presidential election in October 2013 and the parliamentary election in October 2012.

54 percent said the presidential election was conducted well, 35 said it was somewhat well conducted, 3 percent thought it was somewhat or totally falsified. The rest don’t know.

34 percent said the parliamentary election in 2012 was conducted well, while 45 said it was somewhat well conducted, 12 percent thought it was somewhat or totally falsified. The rest don’t know.


79 percent of respondents think it was a right decision to appoint former the interior minister Irakli Gharibashvili as prime minister. 8 percent disapprove of the decision, while 12 percent say they don’t know.

30 percent think ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili will continue to be active in politics through his party the National Movement. 23 percent think he will leave the country to assume a position abroad. 9 percent think he will be prosecuted by the government, while 8 percent believe he will stay in the country but not be involved in politics. 25 percent don’t know.

Eight percent of respondents say they know a person who has been fired since October 2012 because of their political beliefs, 90 percent don’t know anyone who has experienced that.