As the survey findings show, the Belarusians are mostly concerned about the economic problems. This is proved by a long list of respondents’ answers to the open question on the pressing internal problems of our country (see Table 1). As one can see, the economics dominates in the list. In this regard people’s viewpoints greatly differ from those of A. Lukashenko who have recently for several hours tried to prove the topicality of not economic but ideological problems.
Table 1. Distribution of answers to the question “Which topical problems within the country demand, in your opinion, an urgent solution?” (open question, more than one answer is possible)
Furthermore, many of the problems, according to the respondents, are solved wrong. This regards, for instance, the increase of tariffs for public utilities (53.2% answers), rise in prices for staples (51.2%), growth of unemployment (30.5%) and expansion of paid medical services (24.1%).
At present about two thirds of the respondents (63.4%) are convinced the state of affairs in our country is developing in the wrong direction (See Table 2). And they are threefold more than those who are convinced in the opposite. In autumn of 2001 – right after the presidential election – they were approximately equal. The ratio has sharply jumped for the past three months.
Table 2. Dynamics of answer distribution to the question “Do you think in general the situation in Belarus is developing in the right or in the wrong direction?”, %
Nine of ten respondents said their financial position have either aggravated for the past three months or hasn’t changed. Negative dynamics of per capita incomes is supported by data in Table 3. Especially striking is the increase in the first quarter of this year of those who live below the poverty line by one third.
Table 3. Dynamics of answer distribution on the average monthly per capita income (including wages, pensions, allowances and other incomes), %
The authorities still cannot solve the old problem of the backpays. Over half the respondents (54%) in this or that degree face the problem (See Table 4).
Table 4. Dynamics of answer distribution to the question “How often over the past 12 months have you faced backpays of wage or pension?”, %
Deterioration of the life conditions inflicted growth of the emigration potential: over 40% of the respondents said they wish to move to another country for permanent residence. And that’s excluding any social, ethnic and religious reasons.
The respondents display no optimism on the future improvement of socio-economic situation. This proves Table 5. As one can notice, only every seventh respondent believes in the improvement of the situation. Nearly every second sticks to the opposite viewpoint and every third claims the situation won’t change.
Table 5. Dynamics of answer distribution to the question on the perspectives of socio-economic situation in Belarus in the coming years, %
Nowadays most respondents have a right understanding that A. Lukashenko makes attempts to shift off his responsibility for aggravating social problems in the country from himself and to the government. Over half of the respondents blame the president and not the government in a sharp increase of tariffs for public utilities. Less than one third of the respondents stands to the opposite viewpoint.
In the opinion of adult citizens, the president hasn’t fulfilled his election campaign promises. Therefore, on the standard five-point scale his activity is evaluated to 2.5. Six months ago this mark was 2.8.
