IRI survey shows majority of Georgians consider EU most important economic partner
The survey also showed 43 percent of responders said strengthening the country’s economy would be the main benefit of joining the EU, while 83 percent of the respondents named Russia as the country posing the greatest economic threat to Georgia. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The European Union has been named as the most important economic partner of Georgia by 54 percent of citizens of the country in a new nationwide survey conducted by the International Republican Institute.
In the IRI poll, the EU is closely followed by the United States as the second most important economic partner, as named by 53 percent of those asked. Ukraine was third with 45 percent.
The survey also showed 43 percent of responders said strengthening the country’s economy would be the main benefit of joining the EU, while 83 percent of the respondents named Russia as the country posing the greatest economic threat to Georgia.
Image: IRI
Economic development was picked as one of the biggest challenges for the country’s democratic development and future with 47 percent, with 76 percent of those responding to the survey saying the Georgian economy had regressed over the past year. The majority of respondents named unemployment (40 percent) and high prices (18 percent) the most important problem facing the Georgian population.
For the survey, 1,486 permanent residents aged 18 and above were asked to respond to the questions, with the poll conducted between March 4-24.
The data of the survey was gathered through face-to-face interviews in the homes of respondents, the IRI said, noting the response rate amounted to 64 percent and the margin of error was 2.5 percent.
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