EPF Issues Georgian Public Opinion Survey Results on European Integration
In many discussion of Georgia’s political, economic, and social future, there are regular references to Europe. It is often argued that there is a proximity of history, values, and culture across the Black Sea region. Politically, the Georgian government has set a course of convergence with Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the European Union. Visually, this is expressed by the flag of Europe flying next to the Georgian national flag outside official buildings. Now, the newly launched Eastern Partnership (EaP) affords Georgia new possibilities for EU integration through enhanced cooperation under the auspices of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement PCA) and the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan (ENPAP).
Until now, there had been no comprehensive studies about Georgians’ perceptions of European integration. What do Georgians themselves value about Europe? What do Georgians expect from convergence with the European Union? What are their concerns in this process? And what do they want to know more about? To answer these and other questions about Georgia’s relationship with Europe, Eurasia Partnership Foundation has undertaken a comprehensive survey of the Georgian population.
The results can serve as the basis for formulating policies related to increasing Georgia’s cooperation and integration with the EU, and further policy-specific studies in this regard will inform design making and refining of existing integration strategies.
The Findings show that Georgians are enthusiastic about Europe and European integration, with both high expectations and a realistic appraisal of the obstacles that need to be overcome. The survey revealed that there is limited information in some fields, but also showed that Georgians generally are well-informed and freely admit when they don’t know about particular issues.
This Report summarizes the key findings. The instrument, however, is much more comprehensive than can be synthesized in a few pages. Its purpose therefore is to encourage a more detailed analysis, and additional findings are attached in the appendix. All the results can be analyzed by various dimensions, including settlement type, age, sex, education, socioeconomic grouping, and many more. The survey was fielded in August 2009, reaching more than1,800 respondents in face-to-face interviews. It was conducted by the Caucasus Research Resource Centers (CRRC), a program of Eurasia Partnership Foundation, with extensive input from Georgian and international experts.
You can download the report and the attachment here:
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