Georgian Parliament official: IRI poll reflects public trust in Georgian Dream party

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Integration Committee, on Tuesday said citizens continue to trust the ruling Georgian Dream party and entrust it with governing the country because they believe the ruling party is acting in the national interest.

Responding to reports about the results of an International Republican Institute (IRI) poll, Makhashvili said the survey clearly reflected public sentiment.

In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, he said the findings also demonstrated that the opposition remains fragmented and divided.

“The survey clearly shows public sentiment. Citizens see who is responsible in politics. They trust the Georgian Dream and entrust it with governing the country because they know that the ruling team is working in the national interest. The survey also shows that the opposition is fragmented and divided. This is solely the result of what it has been doing over the past years. It has done everything except what society needed”, Makhashvili said.

“The project to change the government by force outside elections has failed. It failed precisely because all this drama was based on lies. They are withholding information about the survey from the public because it would expose the falsehoods they have been telling society for years. They do not learn from their mistakes. What matters to them is the instructions they receive from abroad”, he added.

A slide showing the results of an IRI poll has been circulating on social media.

According to the figures shown on the slide, the Georgian Dream leads party ratings with 36%, followed by the United National Movement on 5%. Girchi, led by Iago Khvichia, the Labour Party, Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party and Akhali each received 2%.

Anna Dolidze’s For the People party, Zurab Japaridze’s Girchi - More Freedom, Strategy Aghmashenebeli and the People’s Party each received 1%. Lelo and the Federalists were not included in the ratings shown on the circulated slide.