«

»

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED IN JUNE 2-12, 2006

(1509 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. Which of the variants below would you prefer?

Variant of answer

%

Not high but regular wages

53.6

High but occasional earning

30.8

DA/NA

15.6

2. What is your attitude to mass involuntary conversion of employees at state-owned enterprises and organizations to short-term contracts of employment carried over lately?

Variant of answer

%

Negative

47.2

Indifferent

30.2

Positive

16.1

DA/NA

6.5

3. How deeply corrupted are the Belarusian authorities?

Variant of answer

%

All representatives of the Belarusian authorities (officials) accept bribes

18.8

Many representatives of the Belarusian authorities (officials) accept bribes

45.6

Few representatives of the Belarusian authorities (officials) accept bribes

23.2

Almost no one among Belarusian authorities (officials) accepts bribes

5.0

DA/NA

7.4

4. President A. Lukashenko has stated that “the time of free meal-ticket mentality” is over for the Belarusian citizens. In this regards, which of statements below do you agree with?

Variant of answer

%

The state should provide workplaces for its citizens

43.8

If the state doesn’t provide a job, it should pay unemployment benefits in the amount of subsistence wage

33.1

Working age population should count on themselves only

18.8

DA/NA

4.3

5. President A. Lukashenko set an ambitious goal for Belarusian economics – “taking the country into the list of highly developed European states.” In this regards, which of following statements do you agree with?

Variant of answer

%

This goal will be reached within the next five years

18.1

We’ll need over ten years to achieve this goal

45.5

This goal is unattainable within the framework of the Belarusian economic model

24.5

DA/NA

11.9

6. Do you share the opinion of President A. Lukashenko who said that growth of energy prices at the world markets threatens the stability of Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

71.9

No

16.3

DA/NA

11.8

7. Building of a nuclear plant in Belarus is again put on agenda in respect to possible growth of prices for Russian gas exported into the country. Some people support this idea, other – not. What is your standpoint?

Variant of answer

%

I don’t support the idea of building a nuclear plant in Belarus

52.2

I support the idea of building a nuclear plant in Belarus

30.0

I don’t care about this

13.4

DA/NA

4.4

8. A. Lukashenko also spoke in his address about China’s growing competitiveness. Do you agree that cheap Chinese goods pose a threat to the Belarusian economics?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

56.1

No

33.5

DA/NA

10.4

9. Does Belarus need the Parliament? Don’t you think it is better not to hold any election at all and save money on its organization as well as on Parliament maintenance?

Variant of answer

%

No, Belarus needs the Parliament

58.4

Yes, Belarus doesn’t need the Parliament

26.8

DA/NA

14.8

10. Have you suffered an offence from any authorities over the past three years?

Variant of answer

%

No, I haven’t

58.0

Yes, once

10.8

Yes, several times

16.4

Yes, many times

10.1

DA/NA

4.7

11. What is your attitude to mass actions of protest that took place in Minsk after the presidential election?

Variant of answer

%

I don’t approve them

57.4

I approve them

23.3

I’m not concerned in this

15.0

DA/NA

4.3

12. In your opinion, should the authorities and the opposition hold a dialogue?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

70.9

No

17.3

DA/NA

11.8

13. In your opinion, is there a dialogue between the authorities and the opposition?

Variant of answer

%

No

66.2

Yes

16.7

DA/NA

17.1

14. If you think that there is no such a dialogue but it is needed, who is to blame of this no-dialogue situation? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

The authorities

30.2

The opposition

25.9

The West

15.0

Russia

1.9

DA

16.1

15. In your opinion, is Alexander Lukashenko, who now stands in his office for the third term, a legitimate president of Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

64.6

No

27.6

DA/NA

7.8

16. Do you believe that the goals for the next five years set by A. Lukashenko at the Third All-Belarusian Assembly – they are listed below – will be attained?

Variant of answer

Believe

Don’t believe

DA

Construction of agricultural towns will help radically improve the living conditions of villagers

63.8

35.4

0.8

Average wages and retirement pensions will grow up twofold within five years

60.5

38.8

0.7

They will create favorable conditions for the development of small and medium-size business

51.9

46.8

1.3

Implementations of Belarusian scientists will ensure country’s energy security

49.5

49.5

1.0

Every citizen willing to work effectively will be given the possibility to earn high wages

48.0

51.3

0.7

The quality of living will grow up to the Western level

38.2

61.1

0.7

Every young family will be able to purchase an apartment within not later than 3-5 years after marriage

37.1

62.1

0.8

De-bureaucratizing will give citizens the feeling of being not petitioners but peer partners to the authorities

32.1

66.7

1.2

17. What is your attitude to the people who have an opinion – on some political issues – different from yours (for example, attitude to A. Lukashenko, to integration with Russia, accession to the EU, etc.)?

Variant of answer

%

I have respect towards them

35.7

This doesn’t matter to me

52.1

I don’t have respect to them

11.7

NA

0.5

18. Which of the statements below do you agree with?

Variant of answer

%

I live like I lived before the changes; nothing has become different in my life

49.3

I have to spin round, take up any work so as to make normal living

27.4

Now I can advance more in life as there are more opportunities

12.6

I still cannot accommodate to the changes which happened in the country

10.3

NA

0.4

19. How successfully, you think, A. Lukashenko as the president of state managed the following problems over lately?

Variant of answer

Successfully

Unsuccessfully

DA/NA

Maintaining of stability in the society

70.0

24.8

5.2

Boosting of economics, growth of welfare

55.6

36.1

8.3

Ensuring of social justice

42.5

45.5

12.0

Struggle against corruptibility

41.7

47.7

10.6

Strengthening of country’s stand at the international arena

41.0

47.5

11.5

Democratization and political freedoms

37.6

47.9

14.5

Struggle against bureaucracy

34.8

52.3

12.9

20. In your opinion, whose interests does A. Lukashenko uphold? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Pensioners

40.7

President’s vertical of power

39.7

Directors of state-owned enterprises and collective farms

33.3

The people like you

23.9

Employees of law-enforcement units

22.9

Youth

21.3

Army

20.3

Deputies of the National Assembly

13.0

Businessmen

4.4

Journalists

1.9

Opposition politicians

0.8

21. In your opinion, would it be better or worse if everything remained as it was before Gorbachev’s reforming in the country?

Variant of answer

%

Worse

46.9

Better

21.5

DA/NA

31.6

22. If there was now a referendum in Belarus on accession into the European Union and you could choose between ‘For’, ‘Against’ or abstain from voting, what would you choose?

Variant of answer

%

Against

49.2

For

31.5

Wouldn’t come to voting

18.5

NA

0.8

23. The European Union has recently announced that bank accounts of 36 top Belarusian officials, including A. Lukashenko, in European banks have been frozen. Some people say this is fair, other –not. What’s your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

This is a fair decision

42.2

This is unfair

34.5

DA/NA

23.3

24. Where do you think people live better, in Belarus or in EU countries?

Variant of answer

%

In EU countries

42.7

In Belarus

31.3

Equally in Belarus and in the EU

14.2

DA/NA

11.8

25. President A. Lukashenko and EU/USA heads all the time exchange with mutual denunciations in what regards violation of international norms while carrying home and foreign policies. Which side do you think violates international norms?

Variant of answer

%

EU countries and USA

45.4

Belarus

13.2

Both sides

33.4

DA/NA

8.0

26. If you were to choose between integration with Russia and accession to the EU, which one would you choose?

Variant of answer

%

Integration with Russia

56.5

Accession to the European Union

29.2

DA/NA

14.3

27. It is possible that Belarus and Russia will soon hold a referendum on the Constitution which will open a way to closer integration of the two countries. How will you vote at this referendum?

Variant of answer

%

I will vote for the Constitution and for closer integration

35.1

I will vote against the Constitution and against closer integration

15.2

I will not come to such a referendum

9.5

I will see from circumstances

35.3

DA/NA

4.9

28. What variant of Russia-Belarus relations is the best, you think?

Variant of answer

%

Union of independent states

42.7

Good neighborly relations of two independent states

36.5

Merging into one state

19.0

Other

1.1

NA

0.7

29. If a referendum on Russia-Belarus integration is held tomorrow, how would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For integration

44.9

Against integration

28.9

Wouldn’t come to voting

13.8

DA/NA

12.4

30. It is more and more often taken up in the mass media that Belarus will have to buy gas at world prices from 2007. Do you believe this?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

60.6

No

28.0

DA/NA

11.4

31. If you think that this will happen, why will it? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Gazprom is a commercial organization, so it bears losses making an exception for Belarus

37.9

By means of Gazprom V. Putin puts pressure on A. Lukashenko so as to impose his integration conditions

30.2

This way V. Putin implements requests of the West trying to remove A. Lukashenko from power

8.6

DA

15.7

32. If this won’t happen, why will it not? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

A. Lukashenko will come to agreement with V. Putin and the gas prices won’t go up

46.7

Belarus is Russia’s only loyal ally, so Russia-Belarus relations will aggravate if this happens

35.8

DA

15.8

33. Do you think fundamental changes of home and foreign policy are possible in Belarus within the next five years?

Variant of answer

%

Quite possible

31.8

Hardly possible

43.9

Impossible

14.6

DA/NA

9.7

34. If you think these changes are possible, who will initiate them, in your opinion? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Belarusian authorities

25.6

Belarusian people

19.2

West

13.9

Belarusian opposition

11.4

Russia

11.1

DA

15.0

35. Would you like these changes to take place?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

38.9

No

29.4

I don’t care about this

16.6

DA/NA

15.1

36. Did you happen to come across the results of independent public opinion polls in Belarus (in the mass media, from leaflets, while talking with other people, etc.) during the past year?

Variant of answer

%

No

64.1

Yes

31.0

NA

4.9