Majority of Stavropol residents give negative assessment of work of Stavropolsky Region's governor
With regard to security, 55% see no essential change. Just 6% think the situation has "improved", and 18% believe it’s "sort of improved". Negative votes were 7% for "worse" and 7% for "sort of worse". Another 7% were unable to decide. These results are somewhat less optimistic than those expressed in the poll this past February when 45% had viewed the security situation in 2005 as not having changed at all, while votes for an “improvement” and “sort of improvement” were split 11% and 15% respectively.
In response to who bears the largest responsibility for the continuing abductions in Chechnya, 43% refused to answer. 25% blamed federal troops, 23% Chechen law enforcement agencies, 6% the guerrillas, 2% the Federal Security Service and 1% the Russian Military Intelligence.
Note: This survey was conducted by the Caucasus Times within the framework of a 12-month study project called "Public Opinion in North Caucasus" that is being done throughout the North-Caucasian republics and sponsored by the American foundation NED.
President of Kabardino-Balkaria continues to enjoy confidence of the population
KABARDINO-BALKARIA, 25 July. At the end of July Information Agency Caucasus Times in cooperation with “Independent Opinion” Center conducted public opinion poll among 400 residents of the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria Nalchik. In total, 209 females and 191 males in the age category ranging from 16 to 65 years old have been polled. Representatives of all professions and occupations (students, employees, workers, pensioners, entrepreneurs) as well as representatives of all major ethnic groups residing in Nalchik (Kabardinians, Balkarians, Russians, Ossetians etc.) were among those who participated in the public opinion poll.
The main objective of the research was to explore the attitudes of the population of Kabardino-Balkaria to the activities of President Arsen Kanokov after one year of his presidential term as well as opinions of the local population about social, economic and political situation in Kabardino-Balkaria.
Results of the research indicated that part of the population of Kabardino-Balkaria are somewhat disappointed by the activities of their President. Also, considerable part of the population are insufficiently informed about the activities of the republican authorities and are not satisfied with the social and economic conditions in the republic. In the meantime, public opinion polls showed that President Arsen Kanokov and his activities are positively viewed by the majority of the population of Kabardino-Balkaria who still trust him and connect with him their hopes for improved situation.
Thus, 48% of respondents rated Arsen Kanokov’s activities after one year in presidential office in a “positive” category and only 5% - in a “negative” category. 16% rated his activities “rather positively” and 11% - “rather negatively”. At the same time, considerable number of those polled – 20% - found it impossible to evaluate Kanokov’s activities saying that one year is too short period for evaluating presidential activities and that they do not have sufficient amount of information to be able to objectively judge his work. Those who evaluated Kanokov’s activites “positively” or “rather positively” noticed that they especially appreciate decisive measures taken by him in reshuffling and renewing the government and his youth-oriented policy. Personal preferences of the respondents did have an impact on their choices. Thus, majority of women who rated President’s work in a “positive” or “rather positive” categories explained their choice by their personal sympathy to President and by his charismatic image of “balanced and reliable person not involved in dirty politics”.
Majority of those who evaluated Head of Kabardino-Balkaria “negatively” or “rather negatively” believe that Kanokov does not pay necessary attention to republican industry restoration. Interestingly enough, Kabardinians dominated among those who gave Kanokov critical assesment. On the contrary, Balkarians and Russians tend to positively evaluate Kanokov’s activities.
Residents of Kabardino-Balkaria were rather unanimous in their assesment of social and economic situation in their republic in the first half of 2006. Thus, 46% of those polled said that there were no substantial changes in social and economic situation in the republic in this period of time. 9% thought that the situation in Kabardino-Balkaria improved and 7% noticed that the situation deteriorated. In view of 20% of respondents, social and economic situation in Kabardino-Balkaria for the first part of 2006 “rather improved”. 7% said that the situation “rather deteriorated”. 11% of respondents reported difficulties in answering this question.