A prisoner is set free in November 2012. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili is setting free prisoners and putting former government officials on trial. The West has expressed doubts about the policy, but at home the new leader is winning the trust of the Georgians. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The political party section of NDI’s first survey after the parliamentary election shows a U-turn compared to the situation a couple of months ago: Politicians in the coalition which recently came into government score high on trust from respondents, while they scored very low in previous surveys. Public faces in the former ruling party, on the other hand, now score low.

Both August and November surveys ask the same question – do you like or dislike certain officials.

The Georgian patriarch as usual is on the top of list with more than 90 percent. In November, 93 percent of respondents said they liked the patriarch.

80 percent say they like Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, while in August, while he was opposition leader, only 39 percent of respondents said they liked him. In June, 46 percent liked Ivanishivili.

28 percent of the respondents say they like Vano Merabishvili, former Prime Minister and Interior Minister in November. 62 percent liked him in August, 55 percent in June.

29 percent of respondents say they like President Mikheil Saakashvili, while 61 percent liked him in August, 58 percent in June.

The rest of the ratings is as follows: Davit Usupashvili, Parliament Speaker – 63 percent in November, 18 percent in August; Gigi Ugulava, Mayor of Tbilisi – 29 percent in November, 58 percent in August.

Giga Bokeria, Secretary of the Security Council was liked by 11 percent, in August it was 20 percent and 16 percent in June.

The governing Georgian Dream coalition receives massive support in this latest NDI poll. The question people were asked was ‘Which party is closest to you? ‘ 63 percent in November says Georgian Dream coalition, compared to only 14 percent who said it was Georgian Dream in August. 10 percent answered the National Movement is closest in November, while it was 38 percent in August. 10 percent refused to answer in November, 18 percent in August.

Luis Navarro, Country Director of NDI for Georgia, on Monday drew attention to the significant changes compared to the organization’s previous surveys.

“In the aftermath of a historic election, in which the Georgian Dream won and was provided with the opportunity to form a government under the current constitution the Georgian Dream has experienced a tremendous increase for both its leaders and for the coalition itself in the aftermath of those elections and the formation of a new government,” he said. “By contrast, the UNM has dropped precipitously in the aftermath of both of these events.

 

In addition, the polling company GORBI has conducted a survey which showed different results from the previous surveys conducted by NDI, IRI or other organizations.


GORBI (Georgian Opinion Research Business International) interviewed 1 007 people all over Georgia and the results show that none of the former ruling party members are among the top ten of the most trusted people in the country.

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili leads the list with 79 percent. Justice Minister Tea Tsulikiani is next with 58 percent trust; Defense Minister Irakli Alasania – 57 percent, Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze 52 percent; Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili 51 percent; Irakli Gharibashvili, Interior Minister, Sozar Subari, Prison Minister and Archil Kbilashvili, Chief Prosecutor all have 48 percent of trust, MP Tina Khidasheli – 45 percent; MP Zviad Dzidziguri has 43 percent.

Former Parliament Speaker from the National Movement Davit Bakradze received 21 percent, while President Mikheil Saakashvili has 18 percent and Vano Merabishvili, former Interior and Prime Minister also has 18 percent.

Merab Pachulia, director of GORBI and author of the survey presented its results on Maestro TV.

Only 3 percent of the questioned think that the National Movement party will return to power in six months; 4 percent says they will return in one year, while 14 percent think UNM will win the next parliamentary election. 47 percent say the National Movement will never return. 33 percent just refused to answer the question.

GORBI also asked respondents who they voted for in the October 1, 2012 parliamentary election: Georgian Dream – 51.6 percent, the National Movement – 18.5 percent, Christian Democrats – 1 percent, other – 1.5 percent; 27.4 refused to answer.