IISEPS — Independent Institute of Socio-Economic and Politycal Studies

RESULTS OF THE NATION OPINION POLL CONDUCTED ON June 2-12, 2008
(1502 persons interviewed, margin of error does not exceed 0.03)

12. If tomorrow presidential elections took place in Belarus again and the same candidates as in March, 2006 took part in them, whom would you vote for?

Variant of answer	%
For A. Lukashenko	38.9
For A. Milinkevich	8.3
For A. Kozulin	7.3
For S. Gajdukevich	2.8
Against all of them	15.2
I would not vote	13.1
Refused to answer	6.4
DA/NA	8.0

13. In your opinion, whose interests do the present authorities express? (more than one answer is possible)

Variant of answer	%
Of officials and bureaucrats	43.0
Of such people, as me	31.7
Of poor and socially unprotected groups of the society	14.2
Of rich people	14.0
Of Russia	3.6
Of the West	1.4
DA	11.9

14. Have representatives of power agencies treated you badly for the last three years?

Variant of answer	%
No, they have not	57.4
Yes, they have one time	13.6
Yes, they have several times	18.1
Yes, they have many times	6.8
DA/NA	4.1

15. Do you think it is possible to obtain fair decisions by the present Belarusian judicial system?

Variant of answer	%
It is always possible	23.9
It is sometimes possible	46.4
It is virtually impossible	23.6
DA/NA	6.1

16. Do you think the opinion of such people as you are influences taking political and socio-economic decisions in our country?

Variant of answer	%
Yes, it does	28.6
No, it does not	66.0
DA/NA	5.4

17. What is your attitude towards the non-government organization “Belaya Rus” established in Belarus?

Variant of answer	%
I have not heard anything about this organization	53.2
I have already enrolled in this organization	2.1
I support enrolling in this organization	3.8
I am against enrolling in this organization	14.5
I do not care about this organization	20.8
DA/NA	5.6

18. In 2006 the former head of the Belarusian State University and presidential contender A. Kozulin was sentenced to five and a half years of imprisonment for “evil hooliganism and active participation in group actions causing disorderly conduct”. Many international organizations, the European Union and the USA consider him a political prisoner and insist on his discharge. The Belarusian authorities do not agree to it as they consider him a criminal. And what is your opinion?

Variant of answer	%
He is sentenced because of political reasons and should be discharged	39.5
He is sentenced justly and should serve his sentence	22.1
It makes no difference to me	28.4
DA/NA	10.0

19. More than two years have passed since A. Lukashenko was elected president of the country for the third time. How would you assess his keeping of his pre-election promises using a five point scale? (1 point–very bad, 5 points–very well)

Variant of answer	%
1	18.9
2	16.6
3	27.7
4	25.0
5	11.1
On average	2.93
NA	0.7

20. On April, 26 2008 Alexander Lukashenko declared the following: “I have already said: my youngest son is going to be president of Belarus”. What is your attitude towards such a possibility?

Variant of answer	%
It is positive	16.1
It is negative	66.8
DA/NA	17.1

21. There are different opinions concerning presence of the opposition in the parliament. Which of them do you agree with?

Variant of answer	%
If there is no opposition in the parliament, there is no democracy in the country	48.8
If the majority of voters support the authorities, than there could be no opposition in the parliament, and it would be exactly the manifestation of democracy	32.3
DA/NA	18.9

22. The governing body of the country has taken a final decision to build an atomic power-plant in Belarus. What is your attitude to this decision?

Variant of answer	%
I do not approve of it	40.2
I approve of it	37.8
It makes no difference to me	13.9
DA/NA	8.1

23. If a referendum on Belarus joining up Russia were being conducted today, how would you vote?

Variant of answer	%
Against joining up	42.2
For joining up	38.7
I would not take part in voting	10.4
DA/NA	8.7