«

»

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED ON SEPTEMBER 2-12, 2009

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

 

1. To what extent does the rise in prices for foodstuffs, manufactured products, accommodation, education, medical and other services tell upon your life?

Variant of answer

%

It does not virtually tell upon my life, as the rise in prices is made up for by the income growth

11.5

It is already telling upon my life and causes concern

47.1

It is seriously telling upon my life and causes alarm

28.4

I am experiencing a real shock due to the rise in prices

12.4

NA

0.6

2. Who, in your opinion, is mainly responsible for the worsening of the economic situation in the country? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

President

42.7

Government

40.7

Local authorities

27.1

The West

24.7

Heads of state enterprises and collective farms

16.8

Russia

12.2

Mafia

7.9

Businessmen

5.4

Mass media (newspapers, radio, TV)

2.2

Other

3.5

DA

9.4

3. Whom (what) would you pin your hopes for the economic development of Belarus on? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

On attraction of foreign capital

47.8

On the president of the country

37.8

On the government of the country

27.7

On Belarusian businessmen

20.3

On heads of state enterprises, collective farms, etc.

11.4

On political parties and movements

5.7

On the National Assembly

4.3

On the army and security bodies

2.5

On mass media

2.5

On the judicial system of the country

1.3

DA

10.7

4. Should the state limit import of foreign goods to Belarus, so as to help its own enterprises and do not allow unemployment?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

58.4

No

35.3

DA/NA

6.3

5. How do you estimate the probability of the Belarusian ruble devaluation, i.e. of its value reduction relative to the world currencies (dollar and euro)?

Variant of answer

%

It is quite probable

51.3

It is hardly probable

26.2

It is improbable

8.9

DA/NA

13.6

6. Have you had to buy or to sell foreign currency for the last six months?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

65.4

No

34.2

NA

0.4

7. Can you say that for the last 2-3 months you and members of your family have begun to buy cheaper foodstuffs and other goods than you used to before?

Variant of answer

%

Definitely yes

22.3

More likely yes

41.0

More likely no

25.8

Definitely no

6.9

DA/NA

4.0

8. Do you believe that “by 2011 we will live like in Europe”?

Variant of answer

%

No

69.2

Yes

13.8

DA/NA

17.0

9. In July it was 15 years since A. Lukashenko had been elected president of Belarus. Was the event more useful or harmful for the country, in your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

More useful

48.4

More harmful

21.7

It had no effect on the country’s destiny

13.9

DA/NA

16.0

10. Has, in your opinion, the gap between the rich and the poor in our country increased, decreased or remained at the same level as it used to be at the beginning of the 90s during 15 years of A. Lukashenko’s governing?

Variant of answer

%

It has increased

39.7

It has decreased

26.0

It has remained the same

25.9

DA/NA

8.4

11. Have, in your opinion, the role and influence of bureaucracy and officials on the life of the country during 15 years of A. Lukashenko’s governing increased, remained at the same level or decreased in comparison with the beginning of the 90s?

Variant of answer

%

They have increased

25.6

They have remained approximately the same

34.2

They have decreased

27.8

DA/NA

12.4

12. Who, in your opinion, does president A. Lukashenko mainly rely on? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

On the presidential top-down command structure

39.7

On the military men, the Ministry of the Interior, the KGB

37.8

On pensioners

37.7

On state officials

27.2

On common people

24.1

On countrymen

23.8

On directors of large enterprises

12.8

On specialists

8.4

On the cultural and scientific elite

4.0

On businessmen

2.2

DA

6.4

13. Whose interests, in your opinion, do the present authorities express?

Variant of answer

%

Of officials and bureaucrats

34.1

Of such people as myself

25.0

Of poor and socially unprotected sections of the population

12.0

Of rich people

8.5

Of Russia

2.3

Of the West

1.2

DA/NA

16.9

14. 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 does Belarus good

44.4

It gives the country nothing positive

36.0

DA/NA

19.6

15. What is your attitude to A. Lukashenko’s appearing at public events with his younger son Kolya?

Variant of answer

%

It is negative

46.5

It is positive

18.6

It makes no difference to me

31.7

DA/NA

3.2

16. If A. Lukashenko runs for president for the fourth time and a democratic opposition candidate competes with him, which of them would you vote for?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

42.9

For a democratic opposition candidate

25.2

For neither of them

17.8

DA/NA

14.1

17. Does A. Lukashenko, in your opinion, cope with his duties well enough to be elected president once again or do you think it is time to give somebody else a chance to execute the duties?

Variant of answer

%

To give a chance to a new person

50.2

To reelect A. Lukashenko

37.4

DA/NA

12.4

18. If you had to choose between integration with Russia and joining the European Union, what choice would you make?

Variant of answer

%

Joining the European Union

42.7

Integration with Russia

38.3

DA/NA

19.0

19. Should Belarus following Russia recognize independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, their independence should be recognized

46.8

No, their independence should not be recognized

12.0

It makes no difference to me

28.8

DA/NA

12.4

20. If tomorrow a referendum on the question which language should be considered official in Belarus were being held, which alternative would you vote for?

Variant of answer

%

The Belarusian language should be official

19.8

The Russian language should be official

15.0

There should be two official languages–Belarusian and Russian

50.8

It makes no difference to me

12.9

DA/NA

1.5