Ruling party Sec-Gen highlights importance of “objective, fact-based” surveys at Gallup Tbilisi conference

Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday highlighted the importance of “objective, fact-based” public opinion surveys at the Gallup International Association annual conference, hosted in Tbilisi for the first time.

Addressing the event held under the auspices of the Tbilisi-based Georgian Opinion Research Business International - a member of GIA, a Switzerland-based association of polling organisations - Kaladze stressed objective surveys offered opportunities to “anticipate people’s wishes and expectations and identify problems”, allowing authorities to address them. 

In contrast to unbiased surveys, Kaladze, who also serves as the Mayor of Tbilisi, pointed to damages potentially caused by “minimal inaccuracy, or an attempt to manipulate public opinion”. 

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Slamming alleged attempts to create an “artificial reality” and use surveys for “misleading the public”, the party official noted the domestic public was “well aware” of such practices. 

Objective, fact-based surveys are crucial. The main objective of the conference is to identify challenges, issues and achievements of the [public opinion field] in modern world and make efforts to introduce new technology that will help overcome the challenges and solidify the achievements”, Kaladze said. 

The Secretary General also praised the importance of the event and extended his gratitude to representatives of more than 30 leading polling organisations from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States for participating.