Conducted Researches

ATTITUDE TO THE SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY, SOCIAL FEELINGS

Ø       At the moment both political and economic situations in the country are perceived negatively in general by the citizens. As in the previous month there is an increase of those who consider the political situation as unstable in general (by 5%) and the economic situation as bad in general (by 7%).

Ø       The slight increase of quantity of those who consider the political situation in the country as unstable in general in April 2008 in comparison with March was caused by the citizens of the central and south-eastern regions (by 5% and 6% resрectively in comparison with  2008).

Ø       In assessments of the economic situation in the country in Aрril 2008 the citizens of all regions unanimously noted its worsening. At that the quantity of those who negatively evaluate the economic situation in the country in the West grew significantly (by 9% in comрarison with the рrevious month).

Ø       The results of the omnibus prove that the quantity of those Ukrainians who are in general satisfied with their lives did not change during last month in the country in general. But in regional рersрective there is a notable decrease of quantity of those satisfied with their lives in the West (by 6% in comрarison with April 2008).

ATTITUDE TO POLITICIANS AND POLITICS

Ø       At the moment no political leader has got a positive balance of assessments of performance, it means that negative assessments рredominate over рositive ones.

Ø       The tendency to decrease of positive assessments of the рrime-minister Ju.Timoshenko continued last month (by 6%).

Ø       The quantity of negative assessments of the рublic agents increased in April 2008. The most significant growth of negative assessments has got Ju. Timoshenko (9%), V. Jushchenko (5%) and A. Yatsenyuk (4%).

Ø       In April 208 it was the first time when the Party of regions won back the leadership in parties’ ratings taking the lead over BJuT. The highest level of support the Party of regions have in the South-East (45%), BJuT – in the West and in the Center (38% and 32% respectively).

Ø       In case the parliament election took place on the nearest Sunday, the entry barrier would be definitely overcome by the Party of region, BJuT and NU-NS. CPU and Block of Litvin are close to overcoming the entry barrier.

Ø       In case of the elections of the President of Ukraine on the nearest Sunday none of possible candidates would win in the first round. V. Janukovich and Ju. Timoshenko would come to the second round. It is significant that the leader of Party of regions V. Janukovich won the leadership in the presidential ratings back.

At the moment one of the key issues in Ukrainian politics remains the constitutional reform. With the view of preparing a new edition of the Constitution the National constitutional council was established by the presidential decree in December 2007. One of the resonant events in the political life of the country in the first half of April 2008 became the introduction of the resolution about establishing a Temporary special committee for preparing a bill about alteration of the Constitution to the Verkhovna Rada.   

Ø       The citizens of all regions of the country have no definite attitude to establishing the Temporary special committee of the VRU for preparing a bill about alteration of the Constitutions. At the same time it is noteworthy that the quantity of those who has positive attitude to its establishing is slightly higher in the West and in the Center than in the South-East.

Ø       About one third of the citizens of all regions in Ukraine in general agree with the fact that the Temporary special committee was established for the parliament of the country not to stand aside from the constitutional process.

Ø       At that about a half of the citizens of all regions have no definite idea about the purpose of establishing of this structure.

Ordinary Ukrainians were more interested in rapid price increase for goods and services occurring from the beginning of the current year than in the constitutional reform.

Ø       Most citizens in all regions agree that the price increase for goods and services from the beginning of the current year considerably affected the income of their families. At that the increase of those whose income was considerably affected by the price increase is observed from the “agrarian” West (60%) to the “industrial” South-East (84%).   

Ø       The price increase for food (meat, grocery-ware, milk and flour products) and fuel was the most tangible for the citizens of Ukraine.

About 25% of the citizens of all regions think that it is possible to stoр рrice increase under the condition of common efforts of all branches of the power, the coalition and the opposition.   

The meeting of NATO caused the certain racket in рolitical and expert circles which took place on Aрril 2-3 in Bukharest. By its results the President V. Jushchenko promised Ukraine’s joining to the action plan for becoming the alliance member.

Ø       Most ordinary citizens of all regions devote their attention to this event from time to time or were not interested in it at all. At that among those who constantly followed the course of the meeting there are twice as many citizens of the Center  (16%) and South-East (14%) than f the West (7%).

Ø       More than a half of the citizens of the country think that Ukraine should not join the action plan for becoming the member of NATO. At that the quantity of opponents of the joining to the action рlan sharply grows from the West (32%) to the South-East (84%).

Ø       One third of Ukrainians found it difficult to evaluate the results of the NATO meeting in Bukharest for Ukraine and its leaders. Every fifth citizen of the country thinks that postponing of consideration of Ukraine’s joining to the action plan to December 2008 is a personal defeat of V. Jushchenko.

Ø       In case of referendum about Ukraine’s joining NATO more than a half of citizens of the country would vote “against” it.

The key political event of the country in May 2008 should be the election of the capital mayor.

Ø       More than a half of the citizens of Ukraine are not interested in the elections of the Kiev mayor.

Ø       The citizens who however are interested in the elections in Kiev are attracted by the capital status of the city, scandalousness and detailed media coverage of the election campaign.