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

(1515 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. Do you agree that it is, first of all, necessary to achieve welfare and then think about democracy?

Variant of answer

%

Totally agree

34.0

Rather agree

32.0

Rather disagree

16.8

Totally disagree

5.9

DA/NA

11.3

2. Some say that the authority and cases of arbitrary rule on the part of statesmen have gone down over the years of A. Lukashenko’s governance while others say that on the contrary they have increased. What do you think?

Variant of answer

%

Authority and arbitrary rule of statesmen have gone down over these years

49.0

Authority and arbitrary rule of statesmen have increased over these years

36.9

DA/NA

14.1

3. Do you agree that a strong leader can presently give more to the country than good laws?

Variant of answer

%

Agree

56.2

Agree not

35.3

DA/NA

8.5

4. If the presidential election is held in Belarus tomorrow and A. Lukashenko runs for presidency again, how would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

Would vote for A. Lukashenko

54.9

Would vote for an alternative candidate

25.2

Would vote against all

5.1

Wouldn’t come to voting

6.4

DA/NA

8.4

5. If you would vote for A. Lukashenko, why would you? (no more than three answers are possible)

Variant of answer

%

He well handles his duties, so there’s no sense replacing him

29.8

There’s no other candidature worthy of this position

22.4

He takes care about the people like me

20.6

I’m afraid that it would be worse under someone else

17.9

He stands for the union with Russia

12.0

I like him as a personality

9.9

He defends Belarus from the West

8.1

Other

2.6

6. If you would not vote for A. Lukashenko, why would you not? (no more than three answers are possible)

Variant of answer

%

He has already shown all he is able for

13.2

I’m tired of him

11.8

His participation in the election is illegal

11.5

He is taking Belarus into the abyss

10.5

He set Belarus and the West at odds

9.4

He hasn’t kept his promises

8.8

He has exhausted his potentialities

7.8

There are worthier politicians

7.0

I live worse under him

5.2

He set Belarus and Russia at odds

1.7

Other

5.4

7. What do you think is the most critical for the country nowadays?” (no more than three answers are possible)

Variant of answer

%

Powerful state

47.2

Strong leader

42.4

Revival of culture and the sacred

26.7

Revival of national traditions

22.5

Democratization

20.5

Regeneration of patriotism

19.2

Union with Russia

18.7

National idea

17.8

DA

5.2

8. In your opinion, who does President A. Lukashenko rely on in the first place? (no more than three answers are possible)

Variant of answer

%

Military men, Ministry of Internal Affairs, KGB

48.6

Pensioners

41.4

Presidential vertical of power

37.0

Common citizens

34.2

Villagers

30.0

Public sector officials

20.5

Directors of large enterprises

13.5

Experts

9.9

Cultural and scientific elite

8.3

Businessmen

4.5

DA

3.8

9. Have you heard that on July 13 former presidential candidate A. Kozulin was sentenced to five and a half years of imprisonment by decision of court of the Moscow district in Minsk?

Variant of answer

%

Yes, I have

55.5

No, I haven’t

44.0

NA

0.5

10. If you have heard, what is your attitude to such decision of court?

Variant of answer

%

The sentence is just

24.3

The sentence is unjust

26.6

This doesn’t matter to me

22.4

DA/NA

26.7

11. By decision of court, A. Kozulin was convicted for hard ruffianism as well as for organization of mass actions breaking the social order and for active participation in them. What is you think the true reason of A. Kozulin’s conviction?

Variant of answer

%

Agree with the wording of court

33.0

A. Kozulin was convicted on political grounds

41.6

DA/NA

25.4

12. Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians, are they three different nations or three branches of one nation?

Variant of answer

%

Different nations

28.3

Three branches of one nation

65.7

DA/NA

6.0

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

Variant of answer

%

For integration

45.4

Against integration

34.2

Wouldn’t come to voting

9.6

DA/NA

10.8

14. If Belarus incorporates into the Russian Federation after the referendum, what will be your response? (only those respondents answered to this question who chose the alternative “against integration” or “wouldn’t come to voting” in the previous question)

Variant of answer

%

I will agree with this since referendum results can’t be changed

35.8

I will take part in mass actions of protest (rallies, strikes, etc.) to try to change these results

8.8

I will move to some other country for permanent residence

3.4

I’m ready to stand up independence of Belarus with arms in my hands

2.4

DA/NA

49.6

15. If a referendum on adoption of Russia-Belarus Union State’s Constitution is held, how will you vote at it?

Variant of answer

%

Will vote for

44.4

Will vote against

27.8

Won’t come to voting

15.7

DA/NA

12.1

16. Will you support the variant of Russia-Belarus integration presupposing that Belarus will stop being an independent and sovereign country?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

21.1

No

78.5

NA

0.4

17. What is more important for you, improvement of economic situation in Belarus or country’s independence?

Variant of answer

%

Improvement of economic situation

48.5

Country’s independence

41.9

DA/NA

9.6

18. If a referendum on accession of Belarus into the European Union is held tomorrow, how would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For

36.5

Against

41.3

Wouldn’t come to voting

8.2

DA

14.0

19. In your opinion, what did freedom of speech and freedom of the press bring? (no more than three answers are possible)

Variant of answer

%

Opportunity to receive state-independent information

54.2

Opportunity to speak out the viewpoints openly

33.4

Propaganda of subversive anti-state viewpoints on the part of the West and the opposition

13.2

Propaganda of Western values alien to the Belarusian culture

13.8

Other

6.1

I’m not concerned about all this

17.2