vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #539 / Social life / Reading article...

Two thirds of Russians name alcoholism and drug abuse as major national problems today, a recent opinion poll by the National Public Opinion Studies Center VTsIOM revealed.

According to the poll, conducted October 7-8 among 1,592 respondents in Russia’s 153 cities, towns and villages, 66 percent of the interviewed find the aforementioned problems most serious for Russia, the Center’s site http://www.wciom.ru said.

56 percent of the polled also listed inflation among Russia’s major problem, and 44 percent mentioned terrorism. Over one third (36 percent) of the surveyed people said they were concerned about the current crime combating situation, while 34 percent were worried about the state of the country’s housing and communal services.

33 percent of the respondents mentioned low pensions, while 31 percent named the unemployment rate. 29 percent of the polled people said they were sincerely concerned with the current demographic situation.

Interestingly, 23 percent of those surveyed consider excessive influence of domestic oligarchs on Russia’s economic and political life a serious disturbance.

When asked about major personal problems over a half (55 percent) of the polled mentioned inflation. 34 percent named low pensions and 32 percent revealed that payments for communal services presented much headache. 31 percent of the interviewed were personally concerned about alcohol and drug addiction. 25 percent expressed dissatisfaction with high crime rate, poor medical services and low life level. 20 percent of the polled people revealed that they were worried with worsening ecological conditions.

According to the poll results, most respondents said the situation in Russia has worsened in practically all spheres during the recent five years.

62 percent of the polled people think the efforts to fight inflation brought negative results, 58 percent think the same about the government’s combat with alcohol and drug addiction. 55 percent of the interviewed believe the situation with crime fight has worsened. Half of the polled people named negative changes in the society’s morality and environment.

The poll results show that the only sphere where the situation has improved in the recent five years is international relations. 44 percent of the respondents think Russia has strengthen her position in the world while 32 percent notice no changes. Only 19 percent of the interviewed cited negative changes in this sphere.