Almost half of Moldovans support integration with Customs Union - poll
CHISINAU. Oct 1 (Interfax) - Moldovan citizens are divided almost 50/50 over integration with the European Union and the Customs Union, according to a voter poll held by the IMAS Sociological Research Institute shortly before the parliament election in Moldova.
The poll showed that 47% of the respondents favored Moldova's integration with the European Union and 48% preferred the Customs Union. Thirty-five percent said they would vote against the European Union and the Customs Union at a hypothetical referendum. As to Moldova's integration goals, 44% preferred Russia and 41% - the West.
Institute Director Doru Petruti told a press conference on Tuesday they had polled 1,032 Moldovan citizens older than 18 in 71 populated localities excluding Transdniestria. The poll held on September 5-22 aimed "to take the pre-election temperature," he said, adding that the margin of error was about 3%.
"As we can see, the number of supporters of the eastern and western development vectors is divided almost 50/50, slightly in favor of Customs Union supporters," Petruti said.
The opinions whether the country is developing in the right or wrong direction also differ. Sixteen percent said Moldova was headed in the right direction and 32% said the direction was correct "to a degree". Twenty-two percent called the national development vector erroneous and 21% said it was "erroneous to some extent."
Forty-six percent said they would vote against Moldova's accession to NATO, 20% were undecided and 12% would not vote in a hypothetic referendum.
"We see that the attitude to NATO has slightly changed against the backdrop of the events in Ukraine. The number of persons backing integration with NATO has grown 5-6% over the past few years," Petruti said.
Speaking of the Ukrainian situation, he pointed to a sharp change in the attitude of Moldovan citizens to the events in the neighboring country.
"The poll showed that only 18% of the respondents supported Russian activity in Ukraine, and 71% were opposed to it. The situation was practically the opposite several months ago," the sociologist said.
The poll demonstrated that 68% of the population was rather concerned about the situation in the neighboring country, and 15% were concerned "to a degree" Fourteen percent did not care about the situation in Ukraine, and 4% could not answer the question.
As to main problems of their own country, citizens gave traditional answers: poverty (15.5%), unemployment (15%), political instability (12.8%), corruption (11.6%), political crisis (8.4%), small salaries and pensions (4.5%).
The respondents mentioned the following problems encountered by themselves or their families: small salaries or pensions (25.4%), poverty and low living standards (22.6%), unemployment (10%), health problems (8.6%), housing (2.6%) and expensive education (2.5%).
Only 20% of the respondents were aware that Moldova had demonstrated its most significant economic growth in 20 years, 20% did not know about it and 60% believed it was not true.
