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RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL conducted on March 2-12, 2016

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

  1. How do you evaluate economic problems faced by Belarus today?
Variant of answer %
These problems are temporary, we had survived worse than this in the past 28.5
These problems will last for a long time, it’s time to tighten the belts 40.5
This is the collapse of Belarusian model 24.0
DA/NA 7.0
  1. Who is responsible for the present crisis in Belarus? (more than one answer is possible)
Variant of answer %
The government 48.3
The President 47.0
Parliament 22.7
Europe 17.5
The USA 16.7
People 12.9
Russia 10.1
Opposition 8.6
DA 11.4
  1. According to you, who is going to help Belarus overcome the crisis? (more than one answer is possible)
Variant of answer %
No one, we should rely only on ourselves 36.5
Russia 26.1
Belarusian power 17.6
The Western countries 11.1
Belarusian opposition 3.4
Other countries 0.9
DA 8.8
  1. Deputy Prime Minister Natalia Kochanova said in February 2016 that “Belarusian doctors are paid according to the way they work”. Do you agree with this evaluation?
Variant of answer %
Yes 34.9
No 56.1
DA/NA 9.0
  1. In the beginning of the year tariffs on communal services were significantly increased. What is your attitude to it?
Variant of answer %
It’s an unfair decision: most people have no money to pay for these tariffs 66.9
It’s a difficult but needed decision: it’s demanded by the International Monetary Fund, and Belarus needs its help 20.8
It’s a fair decision: people should pay for communal services as much as they cost 7.2
DA/NA 5.1
  1. There are different opinions concerning the progress of Belarusian economy model. Which one do you agree with?
Variant of answer %
This progress is explained by internal factors; Russian aid is an important but not decisive factor 26.2
Without the help of Russia there would be no progress in the Belarusian economy 31.2
There is no progress in the Belarusian economy 37.1
DA/NA 5.5
  1. Do you fear another devaluation of Belarusian ruble in the next few months?
Variant of answer %
It is a real threat 48.3
It is possible, but unlikely 33.7
It won’t happen 9.6
DA/NA 8.4
  1. Which group of population can you assign yourself to?
Variant of answer %
We can hardly make both ends meet and we don’t have enough money to buy even food 19.4
We have enough money for food, but buying clothes is a real problem 41.8
We have enough money for food and clothes, but buying durable goods is a problem 30.1
We can easily buy durable goods, but it is difficult to buy really expensive things 7.0
We can afford some quite expensive buys – a flat, a summer residence and so on 1.5
NA 0.2
  1. What’s more important for you today: maintaining of the current situation in the country or changing it??
Variant of answer %
Maintaining of the situation is more important 24.7
Changing of the situation is more important 67.3
DA/NA 8.0
  1. According to you, is a significant improvement of Belarusian people’s lives possible under the current rule and its policy?
Variant of answer19 %
Possible Possible
Impossible 43.4
DA/NA 13.0
  1. Which opinion about the work of Belarusian Parliament do you agree most?
Variant of answer %
The Parliament works proactively and passes legislations important for Belarus 16.9
Its activity is reduced to servicing the political course of President A. Lukashenko 31.6
Parliamentarians are mostly busy solving their own problems 22.7
I don’t know what the Parliament does 24.6
DA/NA 4.2
  1. Recently a group of oppositional leaders suggested to carry out the Congress of Democratic Forces in May 2016 to “consolidate democratic forces and decide on further actions”. What is your attitude to this idea?
Variant of answer %
I support this suggestion 21.8
I don’t support this suggestion 54.2
I don’t care 18.9
DA/NA 5.1
  1. Since the beginning of 2016 many individual entrepreneurs selling clothes on consumer goods markets stopped their work. Does it influence your well-being?
Variant of answer %
Yes, I used to buy goods from them, because they were more expensive in other places 54.2
No, I didn’t buy anything from them 19.5
No, I used to buy goods from them, but now I do it in other places 22.4
DA/NA 3.9
  1. Individual entrepreneurs, selling goods on consumer goods markets, are conflicting with the power over the conditions of work since the beginning of 2016. What is your position in this conflict?
Variant of answer %
I share the position of the authority 16.2
I share the position of individual entrepreneurs 45.0
I don’t understand the reasons behind this conflict 19.3
I don’t care about this conflict 15.9
DA/NA 3.6
  1. If you (or people you know) have ever endured illegal actions from the side of militia, what were those actions? (more than one answer is possible)
Variant of answer %
Reluctance to react to complaints, refusal to accept statements 10.6
Lack of professionalism 16.4
Ungrounded arrest 12.2
Gratuitous violence 5.9
Extortion 2.7
Other 3.7
DA/NA 50.2
  1. How do you think, is it possible to obtain fair and just solutions in the conditions of existing Belarusian judicial system?
Variant of answer %
Yes, it is possible 52.7
No, almost impossible 34.0
DA/NA 13.3
  1. Soon it will be the 30thanniversary of Chernobyl disaster. Are you satisfied with the way the power deals with the consequences of the disaster?
Variant of answer10 %
Not satisfied 25.1
Partly satisfied 45.0
Completely satisfied 18.9
DA/NA 11.0
  1. Recently A. Lukashenko said: “People who import to Belarus raggery of all kinds, even good quality ones, you should understand: all that we import kills our economy, out light industry. All the more so without certificates. Like this we legislate bandits, criminals! We catch some of them, but let others do it”. Do you agree with this?
Variant of answer %
Agree 33.3
Disagree 55.2
DA/NA 11.5
  1. Recently there was thaw in relations between Belarusian power and the European Union. In February the EU canceled majority of sanctions against Belarus. There are different opinions about this move. Which one do you share?
Variant of answer %
The EU made the right decision; they should respect the choice of Belarusian people and cooperate with the power which enjoys people’ support 39.3
The EU made the right decision, because no matter what the power in Belarus is, the most important is to weaken the dependency of Belarus on Russia 18.1
The EU abandoned their own principles playing ball with Belarusian power 17.7
The EU made the wrong decision, because they try to split Belarus and Russia 10.5
DA 16.6
  1. Do you agree that there is a war between Russia and Ukraine?
Variant of answer %
Yes 43.7
No 45.8
DA/NA 10.5
  1. Do you agree that there is a civil war in Ukraine?
Variant of answer %
Yes 75.0
No 15.5
DA/NA 9.5
  1. Relations between Russia and Turkey seriously aggravated after Turkish air defense shot down Russian military plane. Russia has introduced a number of sanctions against Turkey. What should Belarusian politics be like in relation to this conflict?
Variant of answer %
Belarus should support Russia, denounce Turkey and introduce the same sanctions as Russia 16.3
Belarus should support Russia and denounce Turkey, but do not introduce any sanctions 22.8
Belarus should not take any side in the conflict 53.8
DA/NA 7.1
  1. Russia suggests that there should be a Russian military airbase in Belarus. What’s your opinion on this?
Variant of answer %
Positive 22.0
Indifferent 28.8
Negative 42.9
DA/NA 6.3
  1. Recently Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia and the West “returned to the times of the cold war”. Who is responsible for it in your opinion?
Variant of answer %
Russia 12.8
The West 44.6
Russia and the West 30.4
Other 0.5
DA/NA 11.7
  1. Which radio stations do you listen to??
Variant of answer I listen in I do not listen in NA
Belarusian state radio 47.9 51.8 0.3
FM-stations (Radio-Rocks, Capital and other) 53.3 46.3 0.4
Russian radio stations 19.2 80.1 0.7
Radio Voice of America (Washington) 4.0 95.0 1.0
Radio BBC (London) 3.1 96.0 0.9
Russian service of Radio Liberty (Prague) 3.4 95.7 0.9
Belarusian service of Radio Liberty (Prague) 3.3 95.8 0.9
European radio for Belarus (Warsaw) 3.4 95.6 1.0
Belarusian service of radio “Polonia” (Warsaw) 3.1 95.9 1.0
Radio Ratcyia (Bialystok) 3.2 95.8 1.0
Radio”Sweden” (Stockholm) 2.4 96.6 1.0