It is traditional to sum things up as the year draws to a close. The pollsters were among the first to do so. According to a survey conducted in late November by the Ukrainian Institute of Social Research and Social Monitoring Center, our compatriots consider price hikes the most tragic event of the outgoing year. Coal mine disasters and the Tuzla tussle rank second and third on their last of negatives. 17% of the polled view the price rise as not only the saddest but also the principal sign of the year 2003. The respondents managed to recall too few joyful events. For example, 74% of those polled failed to name any positive shifts at all in the life of this country, 10% said nothing good had happened, while not more than 3% could see at least some bright side in the kaleidoscope of this year’s developments, saying that the main positive thing was that there was no war. Among other pluses, those polled named “promises to raise pensions,” “economic improvement,” “wage rise,” certain “political events,” “achievements in science and technology,” “holidays,” and “improved the functioning of mobile operators” (1% in each case).
Almost the same picture appears in identifying the brightest worldwide event. 82% found it difficult to name anything concrete, 8% said there had been nothing positive, 3% were glad there had been no war (?) on earth, and 1% (in each case) repeated the aforementioned “political events,” “holidays,” and “achievements in science and technology.” It was easier to recall the bad side. 40% and 12% of the Ukrainians surveyed consider “war in Iraq” and terrorist acts respectively the outgoing year’s most tragic events. Sociologists note that the past three years have shown a pronounced tendency in Ukraine to put terrorist acts at top of the list of “bad” international events. For example, while the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US were voted the worst event of 2001, the same definition was applied to the Moscow hostage drama last year and the Iraq war this year.
By all accounts, respondents also found it difficult to identify a person of the year. By tradition, they named well-known athletes and pop singers, such as the Klychko brothers, soccer player Andriy Shevchenko, and singer Sofiya Rotaru, while 89% were unable to answer this question.
What can be perhaps considered as the poll’s most pleasant result is our compatriots’ unflagging optimism. Asked in what mood they were entering the year 2004, 46% of those polled hoped their life would improve next year, 12% said life would get worse, and 37% opined there would no major changes.
Yet, by all accounts, while displaying optimism, the Ukrainians do not look to the state for positive changes. Significantly, sociologists noted a dramatic drop in Ukrainian citizens’ trust in most administrative bodies and social institutions. For example, 25% (against 28% in September) trust the Cabinet of Ministers and 61% do not, Verkhovna Rada enjoys the support of 19% (22% in September) and the mistrust of 70%. In addition, according to Social Monitoring Center Director Olha Balakirieva, local authorities have seen public trust fall drastically. The sociologist attributes this to the “worsened economic situation and price rises in this country.” Ms. Balakirieva says the exception is law-enforcement bodies, in which Ukrainians put a little more trust than in previous months. As before, religious organizations, the Armed Forces, and the media enjoy the greatest confidence of the public, with 52%, 59%, and 57% respectively.
The poll also showed dwindled confidence in certain political figures. For instance, the number of those who trust Our Ukraine leader Viktor Yushchenko and Premier Viktor Yanukovych has dropped by 15% and 7%, respectively. Sociologists put these changes down to the October events in Donetsk. Nevertheless, the two still remain our electorate’s most favored politicians. If elections were held next week, Yushchenko and Yanukovych might count on 23% and 17% of votes respectively. The poll embraced a total 2037 people aged over 18.
