The public opinion poll of the International Republican Institute (IRI) shows that Georgian citizens perceive Russia as a political threat. The respondents are concerned about Russian immigrants in Georgia and believe that there is a high level of polarization in the country.

When asked which country poses the greatest political threat to Georgia, 77% of respondents named Russia.

"Given Russia's occupation of Georgian territories and aggressive actions in the region, the vast majority of Georgian citizens perceive Russia as a threat to Georgian statehood," said Stephen Nix, Director of IRI Eurasia Office.

Georgians are clearly concerned about the presence of Russian citizens in the country. 73% of respondents believe that Russian citizens should not be allowed to enter Georgia without a visa, register a business or buy property.

According to the poll, 51% of the respondents believe that the country’s politics are moving toward polarization.

The survey fieldwork was carried out by the Institute of Polling and Marketing. The survey was coordinated by Dr. Rasa Alisauskiene of the public and market research company Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization on behalf of the Center for Insights in Survey Research. Data was collected throughout Georgia between September 14 and October 14, 2023, through CAPI administered faceto-face interviews in respondents’ homes. The sample consisted of n=1,200 permanent residents of Georgia aged 18 and older and eligible to vote. It is representative of the general population by the age, gender, region and settlement size. The response rate was 73 percent. The margin of error for the mid-range full sample does not exceed ±2.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The survey was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

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