Activists of the Communist Party rally against the rise in the rates for housing and communal services in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia.
Photo: Roman Yarovitsin
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A Quarter of Russians Apprehend Protest Rallies
Roughly a quarter of the Russians (21 percent) think the protest rallies could be staged in their locality, signaled the poll of All-Russia’s Center for Public Opinion Studies. The figure was 47 percent in March of 2005.
As many as 69 percent don’t think the probability of such rallies is particularly high nowadays. The apprehension of potential protest actions is stronger in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Some 39 percent share this feeling in Russia's capital vs. just 29 percent in other big cities and from 15 percent to 20 percent in towns and villages.
For 38 percent, the inflation is the most probable cause of potential rallies, while 27 percent point to the low level of living and small salaries, 15 percent choose the growth in rates for housing and communal services coupled with their poor work, 13 percent name unemployment, 12 percent mention low pensions and allowances and 8 percent speak of corrupt practices.
Some 18 percent of the polled will personally go into the streets to protest should the rallies be staged. It’s the lowest indicator in the past four years. From 33 percent to 35 percent stood ready for rallies in March of 2005 and in 2006 and from 22 percent to 24 percent wanted to participate in them in late 2006 and throughout 2007.
So, today’s trend is that the better part of respondents (72 percent) will hardly join the rallies. Of interest is that, although the rallies are mostly apprehended in Moscow, the villagers are particularly eager to take part in them – 21 percent vs. 15 percent to 17 percent in cities and towns.
All-Russia’s Center for Public Opinion Studies held its poll March 15 and 16, covering 1,600 respondents in 153 settlements of 46 regions and districts of Russia. The statistic error doesn’t exceed 3.4 percent.
www.kommersant.com
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