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| Popular euphoria has receded a year after the Rose Revolution |
One year after the Rose Revolution most Georgians are still hopeful about the country’s future, but the number of critics of the current leadership is also growing.
According to a public opinion survey (survey available in PDF format), conducted by the Tbilisi-based polling firm Georgian Opinion Research Business International (GORBI) throughout all of Georgia except breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, 53% of citizens of Georgian believe that the country “is developing in the right direction.”
However, the number of those who think that the country “is heading in the wrong direction” has also increased, from 5% in February, 2004 to 30% in November, 2004.
Social problems, including unemployment, seem to be the major challenge for President Mikheil Saakashvili’s administration, which, in turn, triggers critical cries from many ordinary citizens.
“Maintenance of those processes which were taking place during Shevardnadze’s presidency was absolutely inadmissible, but it is also inadmissible what is happening now. Only those who are in Saakashvili’s party [National Movement] or those who were actively engaged in the revolution can get jobs. I have the impression that our government forgot that the revolution was made possible only with the help of the people,” says Tbilisite Elene Mchedlidze, 56.
“The Authorities’ promise that they would prioritize young, well-educated persons while recruiting new staff was exaggerated. My son knows two foreign languages and is western-educated as well, but is still without a job because he has no influential relatives,” says Tbilisi resident Guliko Modebadze.
“One year ago I could buy more with my 14 Lari pension than I can now, because the prices went up; everything is more expensive,” says an 83 year-old Tbilisite pensioner.
“In general, I think it was a positive year for Georgia, but I am sure the government could have done much more and even better,” says Nana Nachkepia, an IDP from Abkhazia living in Tbilisi.
High-profile arrests of a number of former officials from Shevardnadze’s government remain the most popular measure of Saakashvili’s administration, according to the GORBI survey.
Installing a new patrol police in the place of notorious traffic police was also recognized as one of the major successes of the current government. In the summer, the Georgian government sacked around 15,000 traffic policemen and recruited newly trained, ‘people-friendly’ patrol police.
“One thing comes to my mind, when I think of positive things which happened in this period and it is of course the new patrol police. Of course it’s a huge progress, when there are no more racketeers on the roads, I mean the old police,” says Shota, a taxi driver in Tbilisi.
Despite a drop in popularity, Mikheil Saakashvili, who was elected President with 96% of the votes cast in the January snap elections, still remains the most popular politician in Georgia, with 58% support, according to the GORBI survey. Saakashvili is also the most trusted politician, followed by Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze.
But many Georgians are cautious about President Saakashvili’s close circle. “There are people who try hard not because of the country, but because of personal reasons within the so called ‘Saakashvili team.’ These people are dangerous, not only for Saakashvili himself but for the country as a whole,” says Lali Kakhidze.
