Parliament official: Georgian public says no to externally backed antidemocratic campaigns

Archil Gorduladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, on Wednesday commented on the latest public opinion poll conducted by the Tbilisi-based Georgian Opinion Research Business International, commissioned by Imedi TV, noting that the ratings of parties not participating in local elections were in decline.

“The approval rating of the party #5 [the opposition United National Movement party] is steadily decreasing, whereas the support for parties like Lelo and Gakharia’s party remains relatively stable”, the official said.

He further argued that the shift reflected a broader campaign.

“Representatives of the deep state know well that the United National Movement has no chance of success in Georgia - it is a formula for failure. That’s why they are redirecting their efforts toward Lelo and Gakharia. However, we see clearly that the anti-democratic campaigns - including those promoting hate and division - funded and orchestrated from abroad and executed by local agents, are not working. Georgian society is rejecting them. These agents will face a total collapse in the elections”, Gorduladze concluded.

According to GORBI’s poll, if parliamentary elections were held this week, voter preferences would be distributed as follows:

• 56.2% – Georgian Dream
• 10.7% – Strong Georgia – Lelo for Power, for Freedom
• 10.0% – For Georgia (Gakharia)
• 9.5% – Coalition for Change (Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa)
• 7.5% – United National Movement
• 3.2% – Girchi
• 1.8% – Alliance of Patriots of Georgia
• 1.1% – Other parties