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RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED IN MAY OF 2005

(1510 persons interviewed, margin of error doesn’t exceed 0.03)

 

1. In your opinion, are there any people in Belarus who could govern the country better than A. Lukashenko and his Cabinet?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

37.6

No

35.9

DA/NA

26.5

2. Imagine that the election of 2006 is free and fair, i.e. all candidates receive free access to television, freely meet the electorate, etc., like it was in 1994. Do you think A. Lukashenko will be re-elected the president or another candidate will take his seat?

Variant of answer

%

A. Lukashenko will be re-elected

55.0

Another candidate will be elected

25.7

DA/NA

19.3

3. Imagine that this is not A. Lukashenko but some other candidate who wins the next presidential election. In your opinion, what will change in this case?

Variant of answer

Improve

Won’t change

Aggravate

DA/NA

Belarus-EU relations

38.5

20.5

10.3

30.7

Degree of democratization

30.0

28.7

12.7

28.6

State and prospects of the youth

29.0

27.1

15.5

28.4

Prospects of those who work much and honestly

24.2

33.6

15.0

27.2

Human rights observance

23.2

33.9

14.2

28.7

Observance of the Constitution and the Law

21.6

34.8

13.4

30.2

Russia-Belarus relations

21.2

29.2

22.2

27.4

Living standard in your family

20.8

33.0

18.7

27.5

Equality under the law

20.3

36.3

15.5

27.9

Crime reduction

15.5

37.8

19.6

27.1

Alcohol abuse, drug abuse as well as other harmful habits

12.0

40.6

21.9

25.5

4. Have you tried to launch your own business – a company, civic initiative, public organization, etc. – over lately?

Variant of answer

%

No

82.1

Yes

17.2

NA

0.7

5. If you launched your business, how does it develop nowadays?

Variant of answer

%

Over great hardships

9.1

I had to close the business

7.5

Quite successfully

3.4

NA

80.0

6. Some influential international organizations and governments of some foreign states say that the official results of the referendum and the election to the House of Representatives held on October 17, 2004 do not correspond to the real voting results. Do you agree with this?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

38.0

No

38.0

DA/NA

24.0

7. What is your attitude to the people who publicly protest against actions of the authorities?

Variant of answer

%

Definitely support them

14.9

Rather support them

24.3

Rather don’t support them

28.0

Definitely don’t support them

21.1

DA/NA

11.7

8. There are different forms how people can uphold their interests. If you have to uphold your interests, how would you do this?

Forms of socio-political activity

Yes

No

DA/NA

Participating in election as a candidate

12.5

80.2

7.3

Participating in election as a candidate’s authorized representative

17.2

75.5

7.3

Voting at elections and referenda

85.7

9.3

5.0

Signing public petition or address

46.1

43.4

10.5

Speaking in the mass media

25.0

64.8

10.2

Addressing the authorities to solve the problem

46.6

43.7

9.7

Joining the activity of a nongovernmental organization which airs the interests of the people like me

27.2

60.6

12.2

Joining activity of a political party which airs the interests of the people like me

19.0

67.3

13.7

Taking part in a protest march

18.1

69.9

12.0

Taking part in a strike

15.4

72.4

12.2

9. During her recent trip to Russia, US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice said that “Belarus has been thrown behind because of the nature of the current power, and it cannot integrate into anywhere now. The people of Belarus deserve a better part.” What is your attitude to this statement?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

29.2

Indifferent

34.9

Negative

33.3

NA

2.6

10. Who are the most responsible to make Belarus a prosperous democratic country? (only one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Belarusian authorities

48.2

Belarusian people

40.0

Belarusian opposition

4.9

West

1.8

Russia

1.7

Other

1.2

NA

2.2

11. President A. Lukashenko stood out with criticism of the EU and US position on Belarus which consider this country non-democratic. Some people agree with the president, other – not and some more are even not concerned about the issue. What is your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

I agree with the president. Belarus is a democratic country

37.8

I don’t agree with the president. Belarus is a non-democratic country

32.8

I’m not concerned about this

17.4

DA/NA

12.0

12. What civil rights and freedoms are important and what are not important for you? Please, give your estimate of the rights and freedoms below on the five-point scale, where 1 is “this is absolutely not important for me” and 5 – “this is very important for me”:

Variant of answer

1

2

3

4

5

In average

NA

Right to medical care

1.3

0.6

3.6

7.0

86.7

4.79

0.8

Right to personal safety

1.4

0.8

3.5

9.6

83.9

4.75

0.8

Right to social welfare

1.4

1.1

5.2

11.9

80.1

4.69

0.3

Equality under the law

1.0

0.8

7.3

14.1

76.3

4.65

0.5

Right to healthy environment

1.2

1.6

6.7

13.2

77.0

4.64

0.3

Right to work

4.4

2.6

5.5

9.8

77.5

4.54

0.2

Right to private property

4.0

3.9

9.1

15.3

67.3

4.39

0.4

Right to education

6.8

4.0

9.0

11.5

68.4

4.31

0.3

Freedom of opinion

4.6

4.4

13.6

16.8

60.0

4.24

0.6

Freedom of religion

8.5

7.1

13.9

16.3

54.0

4.00

0.2

Freedom of mass media

8.6

6.5

16.6

18.7

49.0

3.94

0.6

Freedom of movement, including trips abroad

11.3

6.4

12.9

15.0

54.1

3.94

0.3

Right to elect and be elected

10.3

8.0

15.2

17.0

49.1

3.87

0.4

Freedom of enterprise

15.7

7.7

17.4

16.6

42.1

3.62

0.5

Right to protesting

27.2

11.0

17.5

14.8

29.3

3.08

0.2

Right to form public associations, including political parties

30.1

11.8

17.0

13.4

27.6

2.97

0.1

13. Are human rights and freedoms given below observed in Belarus?

Variant of answer

Always observed

Sometimes observed

Never observed

DA/NA

Freedom of religion

63.4

25.9

3.2

7.5

Right to education

50.7

38.5

5.7

5.1

Right to medical care

40.4

50.2

5.8

3.6

Right to social welfare

38.1

47.0

8.9

6.0

Right to elect and be elected

37.9

35.3

15.0

11.8

Right to work

37.8

47.2

9.3

5.7

Freedom of movement, including trips abroad

33.2

43.3

11.0

12.5

Right to private property

33.0

43.9

10.9

12.2

Right to personal safety

28.7

53.2

11.2

6.9

Freedom of opinion

27.9

41.2

22.0

8.9

Freedom of enterprise

26.5

43.0

15.5

15.0

Right to form public associations, including political parties

23.3

35.6

17.0

24.1

Freedom of mass media

23.1

39.6

24.6

12.7

Equality under the law

22.9

45.9

23.3

7.9

Right to protesting

20.9

35.3

23.1

20.7

Right to healthy environment

20.7

46.0

23.2

10.1

14. In his recent address to the Parliament, A. Lukashenko said that we chose the right course in Belarus and it won’t change. Do you agree with him?

Variant of answer

%

Definitely yes

21.3

Rather yes

27.1

Rather not

22.9

Definitely not

15.1

DA/NA

13.6

15. Citizens of Belarus give different estimates of their current living – some are satisfied and others not. What is your opinion? Please, estimate the following statements on the five-point scale, where 1 is “fully agree with А” and 5 – “fully agree with В”

А

1

2

3

4

5

In average

NA

В

The people like me are pessimistic about the future of Belarus

11.3

10.5

24.1

26.6

27.2

3.48

0.3

The people like me are optimistic about the future of Belarus
The people like me are disappointed with life

11.8

13.6

32.1

27.8

14.3

3.19

0.4

The people like me are fully satisfied with life
The people like me fear to lose their job

17.7

15.9

23.7

18.8

23.5

3.15

0.4

The people like me don’t fear to lose their job
The people like me cannot freely express their political viewpoints

17.2

15.2

30.3

17.7

19.0

3.06

0.6

The people like me can freely express their political viewpoints
The people like me cannot influence the way their lives go

16.0

17.1

28.8

25.6

12.2

3.01

0.3

The people like me can fully influence the way their lives go
The people like me cannot influence the decisions taken by governmental bodies in this country

36.1

18.4

26.2

11.9

7.0

2.35

0.4

The people like me can influence the decisions taken by governmental bodies in this country

16. Do you discuss socio-political issues with your friends, family or colleagues?

Variant of answer

%

Discuss from time to time

45.8

Almost never discuss

32.3

Constantly discuss

21.8

NA

0.1

17. Do you think the majority or the minority of Belarusians share your viewpoints?

Variant of answer

%

Majority

67.5

Minority

9.9

DA/NA

22.6