Opinion Survey: How Does Georgia See The EU

Each year, the European Union releases an opinion survey dealing with the feeling people have about the EU. This is the EU NEIGHBOURS east project, which focuses on the six EU’s Eastern Partner countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine).

According to the 2018 survey, the EU is appreciated. Indeed 49% of Georgians have a positive view of the EU, the highest of the 6 countries. However, they were more last year, 59% in 2017. Generally speaking, Georgians are more likely to have a positive image or to be neutral about the EU. Only 5% have a negative image.

Going further, the survey shows that 83% of people in Georgia think they have a good relationship with the EU. 70% of Georgians trust the EU whereas they are only 24% to trust the Eurasians Economic Union. Moreover, EU is always shown in a positive way in the national media. Thus 59% consider the financial support from the EU effective, and think that this help has encouraged tourism (for 81%) and improved Justice (for 57%).

Typically, the posterchild of the EU supporter is a man (54%) highly-educated (38%) whereas the one who stays neutral is more likely to be a woman (62% of them) and low-educated. Maybe could be pointed out here the fact that the EU benefits are only understand by a kind of « elite » which is currently the main problem in the EU and leads to Euroscepticism.

Nevertheless, Georgia seems also to be going through a crisis. Georgian find it hard to believe in their institutions, less than a half (47%) believe in. The only one institution to be trusted remains the religious authority with 75% of support. The survey has pointed out that only freedom of speech, gender equality and protection of minority had been well applied. At the end of the day, 74% of Georgians are not at all or not very satisfied by the democracy.

By Antoine Dewaest

Photo: Flickr, EU Flagga by MPD01605