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RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED IN JUNE 15-25, 2006

(1505 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. Are you satisfied with how Alexander Lukashenko governed the country in the past 12 years?

Variant of answer

%

Rather satisfied

38.5

Partly satisfied

29.8

Partly dissatisfied

9.1

Rather dissatisfied

19.7

DA/NA

2.9

2. Which of the following would you prefer for Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Market economy with insignificant state control

34.8

Market economy with significant state control

28.8

Planned economy

13.2

Other form of economy

4.5

DA/NA

18.7

3. What form of ownership is the most efficient, in your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

Private ownership

46.4

State ownership

39.0

Other

5.8

DA/NA

8.8

4. Do you think the state should regulate prices for goods and services?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

71.7

No

20.7

DA/NA

7.6

5. What kind of company would you like to work for?

Variant of answer

%

State-owned

52.0

Private

33.0

Other

2.7

DA/NA

12.3

6. Have you ever been involved into running sole proprietorship?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, I have been and I’m going to continue with this

15.2

Yes, I have been but I won’t do this anymore

9.4

No, I’ve never been involved but I would like to

29.2

No, I’ve never been involved and I’m not going to

42.2

NA

4.0

7. How have the conditions for running private business changed in Belarus over the past two-three years? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

The conditions have improved

20.7

The state has greatly tightened up the law on private business

35.6

State bodies (executive committees, taxation departments, fire prevention departments, militia, etc.) have increased abuse of discretion against individual entrepreneurs

22.2

Obligation and honesty of business partners has declined

6.9

Purchasing capacity has dropped down

14.8

Market competition has increased

18.6

Other

1.0

DA/NA

21.1

8. Would you like that your children take up private business and give their lives to entrepreneurship?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

46.8

No

34.3

DA/NA

18.9

9. How often do you use the services of private entrepreneurs (do shopping at the market and at stalls, use their personal services, etc.)?

Variant of answer

%

Almost daily

40.2

Several times a week

31.7

Several times a month

19.7

Several times a year

3.4

Almost never

3.7

NA

1.3

10. What is the role of private entrepreneurs in the society? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

They let other people earn money and create new workplaces

52.6

They provide population with various goods and services

54.4

Taxes from small business make a great part of country’s budget

30.9

They are a source of economic development

21.5

Their activity promotes competition and price abatement

22.2

They are working for financial gain only

17.4

They do not produce anything but are profiteering

13.0

They evade taxes as they don’t think about their social liabilities before the society

7.0

They rise prices without any grounds

8.4

They hinder normal development of the economy

1.8

Other

0.7

11. In your opinion, individual enterprise serves for the country’s good or to its detriment?

Variant of answer

%

Certainly for the good

35.2

Rather for the good

40.9

Rather to its detriment

12.9

Certainly to its detriment

3.6

DA/NA

7.4

12. Do you think considerable improvement of living in Belarus is possible under the current government and taking into account the policy it carries?

Variant of answer

%

Possible

60.6

Impossible

28.0

DA/NA

11.4

13. How did the expenses get distributed in your family in the past year?

Variant of answer

%

Foodstuffs

32.3

Running costs for accommodation (including public utilities)

24.3

Daily necessities

9.5

Healthcare (including expenses for medicines)

8.3

Entertainment (including expenses for vacation)

5.1

Domestic appliances (TV, vacuum cleaners, PC’s, etc.)

5.1

Transport (including expenses for gas)

4.9

Education

4.1

Other

3.8

14. What percentage of your family income do you spent for foodstuffs and public utilities?

Variant of answer

%

Below 10%

2.7

From 10 % to 30%

11.5

From 30 % to 50%

37.6

From 50% to 80%

34.0

Over 80%

7.4

DA/NA

6.8

15. What currency do you trust the most?

Variant of answer

%

US dollars

46.2

Euros

17.5

Belarusian rubles

27.6

Russian rubles

1.4

Other

DA/NA

7.3

16. Election into the Local Councils is to be held shortly. Will you come to voting?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

70.3

No

28.5

NA

1.2

17. If you’re going to come to voting, when will you?

Variant of answer

%

I will vote ahead of term

13.5

I will vote on the official election day

47.8

DA/NA

38.7

18. President of Russia Vladimir Putin once said, “We and Belarusians are actually one nation.” What is your attitude to this statement?

Variant of answer

%

Agree

53.7

I don’t agree but this statement of V. Putin doesn’t hurt me

29.3

I’m indignant and feel insulted with this statement of V. Putin

7.1

This doesn’t touch me at all

9.4

NA

0.5

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

Variant of answer

%

For integration

42.0

Against integration

37.6

I wouldn’t come to voting

10.2

DA/NA

10.2

20. In your opinion, will incorporation of Belarus into Russia have a positive or negative impact on the living of population?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

32.4

Negative

33.7

Won’t influence it

19.5

DA/NA

14.4

21. In your opinion, within the next ten years Belarus:

Variant of answer

%

will remain a sovereign state but its dependence on Russia will increase

35.8

will remain a sovereign state but its independence from Russia will strengthen

24.6

will incorporate into Russia

20.6

DA/NA

19.0

22. What variant of Russia-Belarus integration would you personally prefer?

Variant of answer

%

Belarus and Russia should form a union of independent states bound with close political and economic ties

44.7

Belarus and Russia should become a single state with one president, government, army, flag, currency, etc.

21.8

Relations between Russia and Belarus should be the same as with other CIS member states

25.1

DA/NA

8.4

23. The governments of Russia and Belarus negotiate about introduction of Russian rubble in Belarus. Do you think the Russian ruble should be introduced in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

30.3

No

58.1

DA/NA

11.6

24. What do you think about Russia’s demand to pay for gas at European prices?

Variant of answer

%

It is fair. Any product should be paid for as much as it costs.

28.6

It is unfair. Belarus is Russia’s closest ally, and Russia shouldn’t demand that Belarus pays for gas at the same prices like other countries

62.3

DA/NA

9.1

25. In your opinion, on what conditions can Belarus sell its gas transportation and supply enterprise Beltransgaz?

Variant of answer

%

Under no circumstances they should sell Beltransgaz

78.7

They could sell it at the market price

20.1

NA

1.2

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

Variant of answer

%

Belarus is a self-sufficient country. Its economy will survive even if prices for gas rise to the European level.

55.7

If Russia takes prices for gas to the European level for Belarus, the Belarusian economy will collapse.

42.8

NA

1.5

27. 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

%

Yes

23.8

No

72.2

DA/NA

4.0

28. How often do you take strong drinks?

Variant of answer

%

Daily

1.3

Several times a week

10.1

Several times a month

35.8

Several times a year

30.4

Don’t take these at all

18.5

DA/NA

3.9

29. What foreign languages do you know (can read, write and communicate)? (open question, more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

English

8.5

German

6.0

Polish

4.2

Ukrainian

0.9

French

0.7

Spanish

0.3

Italian

0.2

Lithuanian

0.2