«

»

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED ON JUNE 2-12, 2008

(1502 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. Have you ever taken part in private enterprise?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, I have and I am going to continue taking part in it

11.1

Yes, I have, but I am not going to continue

11.6

No, I have not, but I would like to do it

31.9

I have never taken part in it and I am not going to

44.7

NA

0.7

2. In what way have conditions for taking up private enterprise in Belarus changed for the last two or three years? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Conditions have improved

9.3

The state has considerably toughened legislative control of private enterprise

50.8

State agencies (executive committees, tax inspectorates, fire prevention, militia, etc.) have reinforced arbitrariness with respect to private entrepreneurs

23.6

Purchasing capacity of consumers has decreased

14.7

Competition at the market has become stronger

13.7

Obligation and honesty of business partners has decreased

11.3

Other

1.3

DA

16.1

3. What life strategy do you adhere to now?

Variant of answer

%

To spend money, while I have it, on daily needs

44.9

To invest money in consumer durable

29.9

To save as much as possible, to put aside for a rainy day

24.3

NA

0.9

4. Have you ever happened to be unemployed?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, I have. I have been registered as an unemployed at the placement service

10.9

Yes, I have, but I have not been registered at the placement service

27.6

No, I have not

61.1

NA

0.4

5. At the present moment the majority of large-scale Belarusian enterprises are state-owned. In your opinion, should they become privatized?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, the majority of them should be privatized

39.7

No, the majority of them should remain state-owned

48.2

DA/NA

12.1

6. In your opinion, is it acceptable or not for the Russian capital to take part in privatizing of Belarusian enterprises?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

44.2

No

44.5

DA/NA

11.3

7. Do you agree that the Russian ruble should become the unified currency in the union of Belarus and Russia and that it should be issued by Russia alone?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

23.0

No

66.7

DA/NA

10.3

8. In your opinion, can young people today make themselves a successful career in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, young people can make themselves a successful career in Belarus

48.7

No, young people should better move into another country for this purpose

40.5

DA/NA

10.8

9. What is more important for you today: preservation of the present state of affairs or its change?

Variant of answer

%

Preservation of the present state of affairs is more important

37.4

Change of the present state of affairs is more important

53.8

DA/NA

8.8

10. In your opinion, has A. Lukashenko’s rating (that is, readiness of the country’s population to vote for him at the next elections) increased or decreased during the time passed since the presidential elections?

Variant of answer

%

It has increased

17.6

It has decreased

43.0

It has remained the same

33.8

DA/NA

5.6

11. In your opinion, has A. Lukashenko’s victory at the elections of 2006 contributed to the unity of the Belarusian society, or vice versa – to the deepening of its disunity?

Variant of answer

%

It has united the Belarusian society still more

38.9

It has split the Belarusian society still more

35.8

DA/NA

25.3

12. If tomorrow presidential elections took place in Belarus again and the same candidates as in March, 2006 took part in them, whom would you vote for?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

38.9

For A. Milinkevich

8.3

For A. Kozulin

7.3

For S. Gajdukevich

2.8

Against all of them

15.2

I would not vote

13.1

Refused to answer

6.4

DA/NA

8.0

13. In your opinion, whose interests do the present authorities express? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Of officials and bureaucrats

43.0

Of such people, as me

31.7

Of poor and socially unprotected groups of the society

14.2

Of rich people

14.0

Of Russia

3.6

Of the West

1.4

DA

11.9

14. Have representatives of power agencies treated you badly for the last three years?

Variant of answer

%

No, they have not

57.4

Yes, they have one time

13.6

Yes, they have several times

18.1

Yes, they have many times

6.8

DA/NA

4.1

15. Do you think it is possible to obtain fair decisions by the present Belarusian judicial system?

Variant of answer

%

It is always possible

23.9

It is sometimes possible

46.4

It is virtually impossible

23.6

DA/NA

6.1

16. Do you think the opinion of such people as you are influences taking political and socio-economic decisions in our country?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, it does

28.6

No, it does not

66.0

DA/NA

5.4

17. What is your attitude towards the non-government organization “Belaya Rus” established in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

I have not heard anything about this organization

53.2

I have already enrolled in this organization

2.1

I support enrolling in this organization

3.8

I am against enrolling in this organization

14.5

I do not care about this organization

20.8

DA/NA

5.6

18. In 2006 the former head of the Belarusian State University and presidential contender A. Kozulin was sentenced to five and a half years of imprisonment for “evil hooliganism and active participation in group actions causing disorderly conduct”. Many international organizations, the European Union and the USA consider him a political prisoner and insist on his discharge. The Belarusian authorities do not agree to it as they consider him a criminal. And what is your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

He is sentenced because of political reasons and should be discharged

39.5

He is sentenced justly and should serve his sentence

22.1

It makes no difference to me

28.4

DA/NA

10.0

19. More than two years have passed since A. Lukashenko was elected president of the country for the third time. How would you assess his keeping of his pre-election promises using a five point scale? (1 point–very bad, 5 points–very well)

Variant of answer

%

1

18.9

2

16.6

3

27.7

4

25.0

5

11.1

On average

2.93

NA

0.7

20. On April, 26 2008 Alexander Lukashenko declared the following: “I have already said: my youngest son is going to be president of Belarus”. What is your attitude towards such a possibility?

Variant of answer

%

It is positive

16.1

It is negative

66.8

DA/NA

17.1

21. There are different opinions concerning presence of the opposition in the parliament. Which of them do you agree with?

Variant of answer

%

If there is no opposition in the parliament, there is no democracy in the country

48.8

If the majority of voters support the authorities, than there could be no opposition in the parliament, and it would be exactly the manifestation of democracy

32.3

DA/NA

18.9

22. The governing body of the country has taken a final decision to build an atomic power-plant in Belarus. What is your attitude to this decision?

Variant of answer

%

I do not approve of it

40.2

I approve of it

37.8

It makes no difference to me

13.9

DA/NA

8.1

23. If a referendum on Belarus joining up Russia were being conducted today, how would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

Against joining up

42.2

For joining up

38.7

I would not take part in voting

10.4

DA/NA

8.7

24. If you had to choose between integration with Russia and entering the European Union, what would your choice be?

Variant of answer

%

Integration with Russia

50.3

Entering the European Union

32.4

DA/NA

17.3

25. The governing bodies of Ukraine and Georgia want their countries to become members of the NATO. In your opinion, does entry of these countries into the NATO constitute a menace for Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

No

47.5

Yes

38.8

DA/NA

13.7

26. In spring a serious diplomatic conflict flared up between Belarus and the USA: as an answer to the economic sanctions applied by the American government the Belarusian authorities demanded to considerably reduce the staff of the American embassy in Belarus. In your opinion, who is responsible for the conflict?

Variant of answer

%

Both parties equally

41.5

The authorities of the USA

28.5

The authorities of Belarus

19.3

DA/NA

10.7

27. Are you going to take part in voting at the parliamentary elections of 2008?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, I am

53.0

No. I am not

18.4

I have not decided yet

27.4

NA

1.2

28. In your opinion, are the forthcoming parliamentary elections going to be free and just?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

45.9

No

34.8

DA/NA

19.3

29. Lately many citizens have been advocating modification of the Electoral Code so that elections in Belarus would become freer and fairer. Some people support this demand, others do not. What is your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

I support it: the present Electoral Code constrains free and fair elections, it must be changed

34.0

I do not support it: the present Electoral Code does not constrain free and fair elections, it must not be changed

39.6

DA/NA

26.4

30. Which candidate would you prefer to vote for?

Variant of answer

%

For a supporter of A. Lukashenko

39.6

For an opponent of A. Lukashenko

17.7

For a different candidate

31.4

DA/NA

11.3

31. In your opinion, should representatives of all political forces, including members of the opposition, be part of election committees?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

66.6

No

21.8

DA/NA

11.6

32. In your opinion, should observers representing all political forces, including the opposition, be present at election centers?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

71.4

No

19.3

DA/NA

9.3

33. Do you have sufficient access to the information about the present political situation in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

63.3

No

36.1

NA

0.6

34. Do you trust the Belarusian television?

Variant of answer

%

Trust

46.9

Distrust

43.5

DA/NA

9.6