How threatened do YOU feel?

The issue of terrorism in Georgia is, like in the rest of the world, unfortunately as relevant as ever. In a survey conducted by the Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Center of Research for the Study of Georgian Complex Development Issues on 1-8 December 2015, in which 381 respondents were interviewed in Tbilisi, we aimed to find out how the Tbilisi population views the threat of terrorism following the Paris terrorist attacks.

16% of the respondents consider the so-called Islamic State as an extreme threat to Georgia, 33% believe it a serious threat while only 9% of consider it not a threat.

32% of respondents believed that there is a need to tighten the legislation in Georgia against religious extremism and 45% consider the Georgian legislation already strict enough (very strict). The existence of the so-called Islamic State is clearly seriously worrying to the Tbilisi population.

Further, there are concerns regarding the participation of Georgian citizens in Islamic State terrorist activities. 42% of respondents claimed they are seriously concerned with only 14% not being at all worried.

In conclusion, from this survey we can determine that despite reassurances from the authorities as to the security of the country, the growing extremism apparent in eastern regions of the country (as reported in previous issues of GT) leads Georgians to feel less secure than they would like to be.

Dimitri Dolaberidze