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RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED ON JUNE 2-12, 2011

(1.503 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. What impact does the increase in prices for food products, manufactured goods, housing, education, medical and other services have on your everyday life?

Variant of answer

%

It doesn’t actually have any impact, as the increase in prices is compensated by the growth of income

2.2

It does have an impact and it is worrisome

24.7

It has a serious impact and arouses strong concern

38.3

I’m genuinely shocked at the price rise

34.2

NA

0.6

2. Do you think the Belarusian economy is experiencing a crisis?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

81.5

No

8.4

DA/NA

10.1

3. In your opinion, who is to blame for the foreign exchange crisis in Belarus in March-May 2011? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

President

44.5

Government

36.7

World crisis

27.0

Black marketeers

16.6

The West

6.3

Russia

3.9

Russia

1.6

DA

8.8

4. What would you prefer?

Variant of answer

%

High USD rate, but no problems with its purchase

29.8

Low USD rate, but problems with its purchase

28.6

It makes no difference to me

30.6

DA/NA

11.0

5. The president A. Lukashenko has recently alleged that “right in the first half of the year the people will forget about today’s situation. We know what to do, and we will ride out this situation, and do it easily”. Do you trust this allegation?

Variant of answer

%

No, I don’t

65.6

Yes, I do

24.5

DA/NA

9.9

6. Please, say, what is more important: improvement of the economic standing of Belarus or independence of the country?

Variant of answer

%

Improvement of the economic standing of Belarus

65.0

Independence of the country

28.9

DA/NA

6.1

7. Did the victory of A. Lukashenko at the elections favor the unity of the Belarusian society, or vice versa, the widening of its split?

Variant of answer

%

Favored the split of the Belarusian society

44.9

Favored the unity of the Belarusian society

31.5

DA/NA

23.6

8. In your opinion, who does the president A. Lukashenko mainly rely on? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Military men, the Ministry of the Interior, the KGB

52.5

Pensioners

39.4

Presidential top-down command structure

37.9

State officials

23.8

Villagers

23.5

Common people

19.3

Directors of large enterprises

12.0

Specialists

7.2

Cultural and scientific elite

4.1

Businessmen

2.5

DA

4.3

9. In your opinion, how well has A. Lukashenko as the president of the country dealt with the following problems facing the country recently?

Variant of answer

Successfully

Not successfully

DA/NA

Fight against corruption

35.4

49.4

15.2

Fight against bureaucracy

31.6

56.8

11.6

Securing social justice

30.8

57.5

11.7

Preserving social stability

29.6

60.4

10.0

Safeguarding democracy and political freedom

25.7

59.3

15.0

Strengthening international positions of the country

21.2

64.5

14.3

Economic recovery, growth in welfare

15.8

75.7

8.5

10. Do you think the fact that virtually all power in the country is concentrated now in the hands of A. Lukashenko does Belarus good or gives the country nothing positive?

Variant of answer

%

It gives the country nothing positive

59.1

It does Belarus good

26.2

DA/NA

14.7

11. In the recent months several dozen of people, including several candidates for presidency, have been sentenced on the charge of participation in the mass disturbances on 19 December 2010 for a term of up to 6 years in the maximum security colony. What is your attitude to these sentences?

Variant of answer

%

The sentences were unjust

39.6

The sentences to some participants of the 19 December Action were just, and unjust to the others

20.2

The sentences were just, fit for the convicts’ guilt

20.3

The sentences were too mild

6.2

DA/NA

13.7

12. The head of the state alleged that he “knows about the financing of the fifth column from abroad. No chance to break the country! We will destroy any fifth or twenty-fifth column”. What do you think of this allegation?

Variant of answer

%

I subscribe to this allegation

27.9

I do not subscribe to this allegation

44.6

DA/NA

27.5

13. What do you think about the readiness of the people in Belarus to express their political views?

Variant of answer

%

No one is afraid

10.6

Only some people are afraid

16.9

Many people are afraid

46.1

All people are afraid

22.3

DA/NA

4.1

14. Do you feel protected against possible arbitrariness on part of the authorities, militia, the State Motor Vehicle Inspectorate, the tax inspectorate, courts and other governmental bodies?

Variant of answer

%

Definitely yes

13.2

Rather, yes

25.9

Rather, not

34.3

Definitely no

22.6

DA/NA

4.0

15. Is it possible to trust the majority of people or is it necessary to be very careful in relations with them?

Variant of answer

%

It is necessary to be very careful in relations with people

72.0

The majority of people can be trusted

23.7

DA/NA

4.3

16. How would you assess the people who are in power now?

Variant of answer

%

These are the people who are preoccupied only with their material well-being and career

45.1

These are honest, but inconversant people who do not know how to help the country out of the economic crisis

16.4

These are honest, but weak people who are not able to handle the power and secure the order and consistent political line

13.6

It is a good team of politicians leading the country in the right direction

12.6

DA/NA

12.3

17. Some time ago, the president A. Lukashenko pronounced in public that “unfortunately, there is enough lousiness in the present government of Ukraine”, and moreover, “as regards such asses as Barroso, well, there was a Barroso in Portugal, they sacked him and jobbed him into the European Commission. I care less for whatever remark a European official should have plumped out”. What is your opinion of these utterances of the president?

Variant of answer

%

It is an inadmissible rudeness towards foreign partners

68.6

It is a sore, but admissible assessment of the ill behavior of foreign partners

21.0

DA/NA

10.4

18. Belarus has appealed to Russia for a loan of 3 billion US dollars this year targeted at resolving the foreign currency crisis. The Ministry of Finance of Russia A. Kudrin stated that Russia would give a loan provided that Belarus carried out economic reforms. How would you assess this statement?

Variant of answer

%

It is a fair judgment

45.6

It is an unfair judgment

37.0

DA/NA

17.4

19. What is your attitude to the construction of a nuclear power-station in Belarus under the Russian project and for the Russian credit money?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

27.1

I am not against the NPS project, but I make an objection to it being a Russian project

16.4

I am against the construction of an NPS in Belarus in principle

50.3

DA/NA

6.2

20. What is your attitude to Mass Media in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Mass Media in Belarus are independent

10.3

Mass Media in Belarus are controlled

53.3

Some Mass Media in Belarus are independent, others are controlled

31.2

DA/NA

5.2