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RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER OF 2005

(1514 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

 

1. Do you want the USSR restoration?

Variant of answer

%

No

48.3

Yes

38.0

DA/NA

13.7

2. What do you think about people’s readiness in Belarus to express their political viewpoints?

Variant of answer

%

No one is afraid to express political viewpoints

14.0

Only few people are afraid

27.1

Many people are afraid

41.0

All are afraid

7.2

DA/NA

10.7

3. If V. Goncharik or S. Gaidukevich and not A. Lukashenko was elected the president in 2001, what would be the current situation in Belarus?

Variant of answer

%

Worse than presently

39.7

The same as presently

19.0

Better than presently

16.0

DA/NA

25.3

4. Many citizens have been standing lately for amendment of the Electoral Code so as to make election in Belarus more free and fair. Some people support this initiative, others not. What is your opinion?

Variant of answer

%

Don’t support: the current Electoral Code doesn’t restrict freedom and fairness of election, so it doesn’t need to be amended

42.3

Support: the current Electoral Code restricts freedom and fairness of election, and it needs to be amended

39.2

DA/NA

18.5

5. The Government has recently adopted a regulation which is strengthening control of authorities over conduction of opinion polls and publicizing of their results in the mass media. Do you support or not introduction of such control?

Variant of answer

%

Don’t support: research and formation of public opinion should be independent

58.4

Support: the authorities should control research and formation of public opinion

27.6

DA/NA

14.0

6. On November 16, 2005 the Day of Belarusian Solidarity was held in Belarus: at 8 p.m. sharp citizens turned off lights in their houses for 15 minutes and put lighted candles at window-sills as a sign of their support to victims of political persecution. Did you participate in this action?

Variant of answer

%

Haven’t heard about it

62.1

No, I didn’t

33.9

Yes, I did

3.3

NA

0.7

7. Belarusian opposition leaders N. Statkevich, P. Severinets and A. Klimov have been recently sentenced to different terms of imprisonment for organization of street actions against the Belarusian authorities. What is your attitude to this?

Variant of answer

%

Negative

35.2

Indifferent

34.0

Positive

16.5

DA/NA

14.3

8. Do you think Orange Revolution is possible in Belarus like it happened in Ukraine?

Variant of answer

%

No

67.5

Yes

17.8

DA/NA

14.7

9. Speaking recently to residents of the Glusk town, Mogilev region, about the coming presidential election A. Lukashenko said, “It is not the point whether you are going to elect me or not. You will, there’s no other alternative.” Do you agree with this opinion?

Variant of answer

%

No

41.1

Yes

40.5

DA/NA

18.4

10. Did you happen to be present at meetings with President A. Lukashenko?

Variant of answer

%

No

94.0

Yes

5.6

NA

0.4

11. Have you heard about the Congress of Democratic Forces which was held in Minsk on October 1-2 and which elected A. Milinkevich, former Vice-Mayor of Grodno and activist of the civic movement, as a sole candidate for the presidential election of 2006 alternative to A. Lukashenko?

Variant of answer

%

No, I haven’t

66.6

Yes, I have

32.7

NA

0.7

12. Have you got any leaflets about A. Milinkevich, met or talked with his representatives?

Variant of answer

%

No

85.6

Yes

13.9

DA/NA

0.5

13. If you haven’t, would you like to get such leaflets, meet and talk with A. Milinkevich’s representatives?

Variant of answer

%

No

61.2

Yes

30.9

DA/NA

7.9

14. Will you support A. Milinkevich at the presidential election of 2006?

Variant of answer

%

No

46.8

Yes

10.2

I will see from circumstances

36.9

DA/NA

6.1

15. If the authorities find a reason not to register a sole democratic candidate A. Milinkevich, will you join the street actions of protest?

Variant of answer

%

No

79.6

Yes

8.2

DA/NA

12.2

16. Are you going to come to vote at the presidential election of 2006?

Variant of answer

%

Definitely yes

49.2

Rather yes

36.8

Rather not

5.7

Haven’t decided yet

5.6

DA/NA

2.7

17. Do you think the presidential election of 2006 will be free and fair?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

49.2

No

33.8

DA/NA

17.0

18. Are you ready to join the street actions of protest if the presidential election is rigged?

Variant of answer

%

No

71.5

Yes

13.4

DA/NA

15.1

19. If the presidential election takes place tomorrow in Belarus, for whom will you vote?

Variant of answer

%

А. Lukashenko

52.6

А. Milinkevich

6.6

А. Lebedko

2.4

S. Gaidukevich

1.2

Z. Poznyak

1.1

V. Frolov

1.0

А. Kozulin

0.8

S. Shushkevich

0.6

V. Goncharik

0.4

А. Klimov

0.4

V. Leonov

0.4

А. Yaroshuk

0.3

А. Voitovich

0.2

S. Kalyakin

0.2

Other politician (7 names, under 0.2% each)

0.7

Other variant of answer

5.0

DA/NA

26.1

20. What candidate would you vote for at the next presidential election?

Variant of answer

%

Supporter of the current course

55.5

Supporter of changing the current course

41.7

NA

2.8

Supporter of integration with Russia

64.6

Supporter of accession to the EU

29.6

NA

5.8

Supporter of democratization

54.6

Supporter of “iron hand”

40.9

NA

4.5

Representative of the authorities

62.6

Representative of the democratic opposition

31.6

NA

5.8

21. In your opinion, did A. Lukashenko performed his presidential duties so well that he should be re-elected, or you rather think it is time to give chance to some other candidate?

Variant of answer

%

Re-elect A. Lukashenko

46.8

Give chance to a new candidate

38.0

DA/NA

15.2

22. Do you know anything about one of the politicians below?

Variant of answer

Know

Don’t know

DA/NA

А. Lukashenko

96.9

1.9

1.2

Z. Poznyak

64.8

31.4

3.8

S. Gaidukevich

57.6

37.0

5.4

А. Milinkevich

36.3

57.5

6.2

V. Frolov

26.1

66.1

7.8

V. Leonov

20.5

72.0

7.5

А. Kozulin

19.9

72.3

7.8

А. Voitovich

17.5

74.7

7.8

А. Yaroshuk

12.7

79.3

8.0

P. Kravchenko

11.9

79.8

8.3

23. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and A. Voitovich, former President of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences and currently Chairman of the Council of Republic, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.0

For A. Voitovich

7.3

For none of them

25.2

DA/NA

11.5

24. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and S. Gaidukevich, Deputy of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Belarus, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

55.0

For A. Gaidukevich

9.2

For none of them

25.1

DA/NA

10.7

25. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and Z. Poznyak, Chairman of the Conservative Christian Party of Belarus living abroad from 1996, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.4

For Z. Poznyak

10.1

For none of them

23.9

DA/NA

9.6

26. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and A. Kozulin, former Deputy Minister of Education, former Head of the Belarusian State University and currently Chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Gromada, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.0

For A. Kozulin

9.7

For none of them

23.2

DA/NA

11.1

27. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and P. Kravchenko, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy of the Supreme Council and Ambassador of Belarus to Japan, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.4

For P. Kravchenko

7.0

For none of them

24.3

DA/NA

12.3

28. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and V. Leonov, Chairman of the Fund “For New Belarus”, former First Secretary of the Belarusian Communist Party in Mogilev, Minister of Agriculture and political prisoner, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

55.6

For V. Leonov

7.5

For none of them

25.3

DA/NA

11.6

29. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and A. Milinkevich, former Vice-Mayor of Grodno and activist of civic movement recently elected a sole candidate for democratic forces of Belarus, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

54.8

For A. Milinkevich

18.1

For none of them

14.4

DA/NA

12.7

30. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and General V. Frolov, former Head of the Parliamentary Deputy Group “Republic”, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.3

For V. Frolov

8.6

For none of them

23.5

DA/NA

11.6

31. Imagine that you are offered candidatures of A. Lukashenko and A. Yaroshuk, former vice-governor of the Minsk region, Chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Independent Trade Unions, at the presidential election. For whom of these candidates would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

56.6

For A. Yaroshuk

7.4

For none of them

23.9

DA/NA

12.1

32. If A. Lukashenko runs for presidency for the third time and a candidate for democratic opposition stands his rival, for whom will you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For A. Lukashenko

54.7

For a candidate for democratic opposition

21.4

For none of them

11.6

DA/NA

12.3

33. What is your attitude to the European Union (EU)?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

36.4

Indifferent

33.9

Negative

12.9

I don’t know what it is

6.7

DA/NA

10.1

34. Would you like to know more about what’s going on in EU member states as well as about activity of European organizations?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

54.0

No

32.6

DA/NA

13.4

35. How do you assess relations between Belarus and EU member states?

Variant of answer

%

Poor

34.5

Good

32.9

DA/NA

32.6

36. Do you think Belarus should become a member of the European Union?

Variant of answer

%

No

38.3

Yes

36.7

DA/NA

25.0

37. In your opinion, will Belarus ever become an EU member?

Variant of answer

%

Never

29.7

Yes, but not sooner than in ten years

24.0

Yes, within the next ten years

16.1

DA/NA

30.2

38. If the referendum on accession of Belarus into the EU took place tomorrow, how would you vote?

Variant of answer

%

For

32.0

Against

26.8

I wouldn’t come to vote

20.4

DA/NA

20.8

39. Where do you think people live better – in Belarus or in EU member states?

Variant of answer

%

In EU member states

51.0

In Belarus

26.9

DA/NA

22.1

40. If Belarus became an EU member, what country groups it should have to follow after?

Variant of answer

%

Old continental EU members – Germany, France, Spain, etc.

41.4

New EU members – Poland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, etc.

12.9

UK

5.1

DA/NA

40.6

41. Would you like to live like people in EU countries?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

63.4

No

29.6

NA

7.0

42. Have you heard about the European Neighborhood Policy practiced by the EU towards its neighboring countries (Belarus included)?

Variant of answer

%

No

64.0

Yes

20.1

DA/NA

15.9

43. Do you think the West is hostile towards Belarus and the Belarusians should be very careful about it?

Variant of answer

%

No

41.9

Yes

40.0

DA/NA

18.1

44. The EU Council of Ministers and NATO PA have recently adopted resolutions in which they called the Belarusian authorities to observe democracy and human rights as well as undertook to render assistance to democratic forces in Belarus. What is your attitude to this?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

27.5

Indifferent

28.6

Negative

22.5

DA/NA

21.4

45. Belarusian citizens have an opportunity to get education and go on training to European higher educational establishments. What is your attitude to this?

Variant of answer

%

Positive

81.0

Indifferent

12.6

Negative

2.5

DA/NA

3.9

46. If you have heard about an opportunity to get education or work in European countries, how did you get to know about this?

Variant of answer

%

From the mass media

35.3

I know people who used such an opportunity

32.4

My close relatives, or I personally used such an opportunity

5.0

DA/NA

27.2

47. Some Belarusian citizens work in European countries on a temporary or permanent basis. What is your attitude to this?

Variant of answer

%

This is good

64.6

I don’t care about this

21.9

This is bad

8.5

DA/NA

5.0

48. Neighboring countries of Belarus (Poland, Latvia and Lithuania) are EU members from May 1, 2004. In your opinion, has living in these countries become better or worse?

Variant of answer

%

Worse

23.7

Hasn’t changed

25.2

Better

19.4

DA/NA

31.7

49. Would you like to go to neighboring countries with the purpose of shopping, to see your friends, etc.?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

69.4

No

24.4

DA/NA

6.2

50. Many citizens going abroad complain about waiting for long at the check points before crossing the Belarusian border. Who is to blame, you think? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Belarusian frontier bodies

30.6

Frontier bodies of Poland

17.1

Frontier bodies of Ukraine

10.1

Frontier bodies of Lithuania

8.4

Frontier bodies of Latvia

7.1

DA/NA

53.9

51. Do you approve or not the political course of the following countries?

Country

Approve

Don’t approve

NA

Russia

74.8

15.9

9.3

Belarus

72.0

22.3

5.7

Germany

70.8

16.4

12.8

Sweden

67.3

17.9

14.8

France

64.4

20.6

15.0

Czech Republic

61.9

21.9

16.2

UK

56.5

29.9

13.6

Slovakia

53.8

28.0

18.2

China

53.2

30.3

16.5

Kazakhstan

46.6

36.5

16.9

Poland

46.0

39.1

14.9

Estonia

39.6

43.5

16.9

Israel

37.5

45.9

16.6

Cuba

36.0

45.1

18.9

Lithuania

35.0

48.9

16.1

Latvia

33.3

51.2

15.5

North Korea

31.6

48.9

19.5

Moldova

31.3

50.2

18.5

Turkmenistan

30.2

49.6

20.2

Ukraine

26.9

59.2

13.9

USA

25.2

61.7

13.1

Georgia

22.8

61.2

16.0

Iran

20.4

61.6

18.0

Iraq

16.8

65.4

17.8

52. 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

60.6

Accession to the EU

28.3

DA/NA

11.1

53. 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 closer integration

41.7

I will vote against the Constitution and closer integration

11.2

I will not come to such a referendum

10.8

I will see from circumstances

29.7

DA/NA

6.6

54. What variant of Russia-Belarus integration do you personally prefer?

Variant of answer

%

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

52.3

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

20.7

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

12.0

DA/NA

15.0

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

Variant of answer

%

Will remain an independent state

47.1

Incorporate into Russia

21.7

DA/NA

31.2

56. Do you think Russian authorities want that Belarus incorporate into Russia and lose its independence?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

46.9

No

26.5

DA/NA

26.6

57. Do you think the Russian people want that Belarus incorporate into Russia and lose its independence?

Variant of answer

%

Yes

39.2

No

26.8

DA/NA

34.0

58. In ten years, will Belarus be closer to Russia or to the EU?

Variant of answer

%

To Russia

63.1

To the EU

8.7

DA/NA

28.2

59. Do you have friends, colleagues or partners abroad with whom you periodically communicate? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer

%

Yes, in Russia

41.2

Yes, in Ukraine

20.9

Yes, in Poland

10.5

Yes, in the Baltic States

7.7

Yes, in other EU countries

6.9

Yes, in the USA

4.5

Yes, in other countries

6.5

No

44.6

60. How would you answer to the question on how you can identity yourself if asked this question abroad?

Variant of answer

%

Citizen of Belarus

44.3

Belarusian

43.7

Russian

4.1

Citizen of USSR

1.4

Representative of other nationality (Tatar, Ukrainian, Jew, etc.)

1.3

Other

1.8

DA/NA

3.4

61. The Belarusians make the majority of population in Belarus. There are different opinions of what Belarus should be like. Which one do you agree with?

Variant of answer

%

Belarus is a common home for people of different nationalities. All citizens of Belarus should enjoy equal rights and none of them should be given any advantages

54.2

Belarus is a multinational country, but the Belarusians – the majority – should be given more rights

25.6

Belarus is a country of Belarusians

13.6

DA/NA

6.6