Lukashenka Afraid Of Riots And Strikes

Lukashenka's administration tests the level of the popular discontent in Belarus.

A journalist of Salidarnasts Kanstantsin Pakholchik has recently become a member of a survey conducted by the sociological service of information-analytical center of Lukashenka’s Administration. The periodical publishes the story of the journalist:

My home phone rang in the afternoon. It looked as though they got the wrong number. A woman's voice said that “a Republican public opinion poll is being held for the statistics” and asked whether there were any adults in the house who were ready to answer the questions. As for personal details, I was asked only about my profession.

There were many questions, I have tentatively divided them into three groups. The first group consisted of quite common and neutral questions. For example: “To what extent are you satisfied with your life today?”, “Do you have confidence in the future or not?”, “How has your financial situation changed over the past three months?”, “Do you have enough income to meet the needs of your family?”.

The second group of questions was devoted to the November decisions of the authorities. Firstly, they focused attention on the upcoming revaluation. “How do you feel about the revaluation?”, “In your opinion, how will the revaluation affect the growth of prices for goods and services?”, “If you have seen the design of the new banknotes, have you liked the design of new money?”, “After the revaluation metal money – kopecks – are returning back. How do you feel about that?“ (One of the options was: negative, because they will still depreciate in length of time).

Secondly, they wanted to find out my attitude to the decree №7 on attracting money to savings (deposits): “In what way will it affect your interests?”, “What will be the consequences of the decree’s implementation?”

But the third block of questions was the most interesting one. At that moment my interlocutor literally asked me point-blank about the attitude to Aliaksandr Lukashenka and the willingness to go to barricades. For clarity I am offering all these questions.

Which of the following issues cause you the most concern?

– Work of transport: rising costs of transportation, traffic congestion

– Rise in prices for goods and services

– Low-quality health services

– Instability of the Belarusian ruble

– Difficulty with the housing problem solution

– Problems in educational sphere

– The decline in real income

– Spread of alcohol and drug abuse

– Employment issues, unemployment threat

If your life is getting worse, then who, do you think, is to blame in the first place?

– The government

– The president

– Local authorities

– The National Bank

– Opposition

– The global financial crisis

– Sole traders

– Business executives

– We are to blame, the population

If you were displeased with the situation in the country, how would you express it?

– Would express my opinion in the family circle, to my friends, colleagues

– Would leave comments to the news on the Internet

– Would write a letter to the government, to the president

– Would join an organization, where I would be able to express my discontent

– Would go to live in another country

– I would take part in protest rallies – meetings, strikes

To what extent do you trust the president?

– I trust him fully

– I rather trust him

– I rather don't trust him

– I do not trust him

How would you assess the socio-political situation in the country at the moment?

– Favourable

– Calm

– Tense

– Critical, explosive

In connection with the abovementioned survey of the information-analytical center of the Lukashenka’s Administration, several conclusions suggest themselves. Firstly, it is difficult to imagine that in the current atmosphere of fear in the country a large number of people will sincerely respond to the questions by phone. Secondly, it is unlikely that the real results of the survey will go public. The answers themselves imply that everything is not so good in the country, as they say on TV. And thirdly, the survey may indicate that those in power are no fools. Declaring publicly that the life is stable in Belarus, someone is not really sure of his future and fears protests of the impoverished population.