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Results of the IISEPS nation opinion poll June 2-12, 2016

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL
conducted in June 2-12, 2016

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

  1. Do you think that Belarusian economy is in crisis?
Variant of answer %
Yes 80.9
No 13.4
DA/NA 5.7

 

  1. If you agree that Belarusian economy is in crisis, then what are its main reasons?
Variant of answer %
The reasons are external 27.8
The reasons are internal 45.7
DA/NA 26.5

 

  1. Recently President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree on retirement age. According to this decree retirement age increases by 3 years (up to 58 years for women and up to 63 years for men). Which of the following statements regarding this decree do you agree with?
Variant of answer %
Retirement age should have been increased in order to increase pensions 19.0
Retirement age should not have been increased, since many people won’t live to it 70.5
DA/NA 10.5

 

  1. What is your attitude to President Lukashenko’s statement that “absolute majority of our citizens are concordant with the retirement age increase”?
Variant of answer %
I agree 15.1
I disagree 58.8
I don’t care 17.7
DA/NA 8.4

 

  1. What’s more important for you today: maintaining of the current situation in the country or changing it?
Variant of answer %
Changing of the situation is more important 25.2
Maintaining of the situation is more important 65.5
DA/NA 9.3

 

  1. Recently President Alexander Lukashenko said that “Amid the current troubled situation Belarus is rightly considered as a nook of stability”. But many people think that “Belarusian stability is closer to stagnation, and there is no development in the country”. What do you think about it?
Variant of answer %
I agree that “amid the current troubled situation Belarus is rightly considered as a nook of stability” 33.4
I agree that “our stability is closer to stagnation, and there is no development in the country” 53.5
DA/NA 13.1

 

  1. Which of the following statements on Belarusian state, built under the rule of A. Lukashenko, do you agree with?
Variant of answer %
It is my state, it protects my interests 29.5
It is only partially my state, it doesn’t protect my interests enough 47.1
It is not my state, it does not protect my interests and I do not trust it 15.2
DA/NA 8.2

 

  1. According to you, what does President Alexander Lukashenko mainly relies on? (several answers are possible)
Variant of answer %
Presidential hierarchy line 54.4
The military, the MIA, the KGB 47.1
State officials 32.1
Pensioners 21.8
Directors of big enterprises 17.4
Rural people 11.5
Specialists 9.2
Common people 8.2
Businessmen 5.5
Cultural and scientific elite 4.4
DA 5.2

 

  1. Which variant of changes do you consider most realistic and desirable in Belarus?
Variant of answer %
Elections 44.1
Republican referendum 26.2
Street protests 14.7
DA/NA 15.0

 

  1. According to you, is the fact that now almost all of the state power is concentrated in the hands of A. Lukashenko, favorable for Belarus or there is nothing good for the country in it?
Variant of answer %
It’s favorable for Belarus 31.3
There is nothing good for the country in it 55.5
DA/NA 13.2

 

  1. Which statement about corruption in Belarus do you agree with?
Variant of answer %
A. Lukashenko will succeed in fighting against corruption after a serious purge of high-ranked officials and after introduction of more serious penalties for such crimes 25.3
A. Lukashenko will fight against corruption, but it is not likely that he will succeed, as corruption in Belarus is ineradicable 26.5
It is difficult for A. Lukashenko to fight against corruption as he depends on corrupted officials himself 23.8
A. Lukashenko won’t really fight against corruption, because he is interested in it in one or another way 21.4
DA/NA 3.0

 

  1. Which of the following opinions do you agree with?
Variant of answer %
The government is responsible for people’s well-being and is obliged to help people in the moments of need 65.2
People are responsible for their well-being and should solve their issues by themselves 29.5
DA/NA 5.3

 

  1. According to you, which of the opinions better describes the degree of social tension in Belarusian society?
Variant of answer %
There are no social tensions and conflicts in Belarusian society 42.2
Social tension is present in Belarusian society, but it’s less important than in Russia and other countries of the CIS 27.2
Social tension is quite high in Belarusian society, and it tends to grow further 26.3
DA/NA 4.3

 

  1. What would you do with the political forces, whose activities are not contrary to the law, but, ac-cording to your opinion, are detrimental to the interests of Belarus?
Variant of answer %
Ban their activities 28.8
Restrict opportunities to popularize their ideas and convictions on radio, TV and in newspapers 21.0
Restrict opportunities to organize public actions (meetings, marches, demonstrations) 15.2
Grant equal rights as compared to other forces 27.5
DA/NA 7.5

 

  1. Do you agree with the following statements of President Alexander Lukashenko made in connection to the next parliamentary election on September 11?
Variant of answer Agree Disagree DA/NA
Belarusian electoral law is not worse than in other countries where elections were accepted by the international structures 51.2 33.8 15.0
People’s will, according to the hands-on experience, will be expressed in the absolutely democratic atmosphere 38.4 43.4 18.2
Only worthy representatives of work collectives, political parties and social associations will join the electoral committees 45.1 34.7 20.2

 

  1. Lately there were different opinions on the victory in the Second World War. Thus, Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that “Russia could have won the Great Patriotic War even without the help of Ukraine; the victory became possible at the expense of human and industrial resources of the Russian Federation”. Others, including Alexander Lukashenko, believe that “it was the united family of brotherhood republics of the Soviet Union that turned into the mighty power which crashed Nazism”. Still others emphasize that “the victory over fascism was achieved due to the combined efforts of the USSR and the Western countries”. What do you think?
 Variant of answer %
I think that “the victory became possible at the expense of human and industrial resources of the Russian Federation” 7.2
I think that “it was the united family of brotherhood republics of the Soviet Union that turned into the mighty power which crashed Nazism” 63.8
I think that “the victory over fascism was achieved due to the combined efforts of the USSR and the Western countries” 25.3
DA/NA 3.7

 

  1. The V All-Belarusian People’s Assembly will be held on June 22-23. Which of the following opin-ions on All-Belarusian People’s Assemblies do you share?
Variant of answer %
This is the supreme implementation of popular rule 28.0
This is the power’s “show” for the people 49.2
DA/NA 22.8

 

  1. Part of oppositional leaders held another Congress of Democratic Forces in May. Which of the following opinions on Congresses of Democratic Forces do you share?
Variant of answer %
This is the supreme expression of people’s disagreement with the policy of the power 28.2
This is the opposition’s “show” for the people 44.9
DA/NA 26.9

 

  1. After a diplomatic conflict between Belarus and the USA, which broke out in the spring of 2008, the relationship between the two countries remains tense (the staff of the US embassy in Minsk was reduced by the factor of 5, and Belarusians have to go to other countries to obtain the US visa). Do you think it is important or not to restore normal relations with the US?
Variant of answer %
It is important to restore normal relations with the US 32.9
It is not important 23.5
I don’t care 34.6
DA/NA 9.0

 

  1. Recently, there was an arms buildup around Belarus: Russia creates new divisions in the West region, and NATO locates their battalions in Poland and Baltic states. Some people in Belarus support Russia’s actions, others support NATO and the West. What is your position about it?
Variant of answer %
I support Russia’s actions: it would protect us from the possible NATO aggression 26.1
I support actions of NATO and the West: it would protect us from the possible Russian aggression 10.6
I support neither side because Belarus could be dragged into an armed conflict 57.6
DA/NA 5.7

 

  1. And if such a conflict happened, which side would you support?
Variant of answer %
Russia 33.6
The West 13.4
I would try not to support either side 43.5
DA/NA 9.5

 

  1. Belarus with the help of Russia is building a nuclear power plant in Ostrovets district of Grodno region. Recently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania delivered a note of incident at the construction site. The Ministry of Energy of Belarus denied the claims, but in the end admitted that “the supporting structure of formwork was partially damaged in the course of pouring concrete”. In this relations multiple arguments broke out again. Some people support construction of the NPP, others don’t. What is your opinion?
Variant of answer %
I support construction of the NPP 33.3
I’m indifferent to construction of the NPP 25.5
I disapprove of construction of the NPP 35.7
DA/NA 5.5

 

  1. According to official information hundreds of Belarusian citizens participate in the battle actions in the East of Ukraine: some on the side if the Ukrainian army, others on the side of armed protesters. Belarusian powers express negative attitude towards it. Thus, a Belarusian fighter of The Right Sector has recently been confined to 5 years of imprisonment. What is your attitude to the participation of Belarusian citizens in the battle actions in Ukraine?
Variant of answer %
Positive, if they are on the side of Ukrainian army 10.8
Positive, if they are on the side of participants of armed protests 10.6
Negative 70.9
DA/NA 7.7

 

  1. Will you vote in parliamentary elections 2016?
Variant of answer %
Yes 51.8
No 19.6
I don’t know yet 25.0
NA 3.6

 

  1. Do you believe that these elections will be free and just?
Variant of answer %
Yes 38.1
No 36.1
DA/NA 25.8

 

  1. Which candidate would you prefer to vote for?
Variant of answer %
For an opponent of Lukashenko 25.0
For a supporter of Lukashenko 26.4
For another candidate 24.5
DA/NA 24.1

 

  1. Do you believe that results of elections depend on your vote?
Variant of answer %
Yes, they do 37.5
No, they don’t 45.6
DA/NA 16.9

 

  1. If you voted on presidential elections in the US this year, who would you vote for?
Variant of answer %
For the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 14.4
For the multi-millionaire Donald Trump 15.8
For another candidate 8.2
For no one 45.6
DA/NA 16.0