In Belarus sociologists charged with electoral fraud authorized to hold exit-polls

There could be no credence to the data of these organizations considering their reputation.

Three organizations are to hold exit polls at the presidential election on December 19. According the Central Election Commission, the commission for conducting polls under the National Academy of Sciences issued licenses for this kind of express polls to two Belarusian structures and to a foreign one. Pollsters from the analytical centre EcooM, the Republican Union of Public Association “Belarusian Committee of Youth Organizations” and “TNS-Ukraine” Company will ask voters after they exit the polling stations, “Belorusskiye novosti” informs.

The first two organisations conducted such polls at the referendum in 2004 and at the presidential election in 2006. Then the results of their exit polls in facts coincided with the official results of the election announced by the Central Election Commission.

“TNS-Ukraine” Company works in Belarus for the first time (a foreign company has been allowed to conduct an exit poll for the first time as well). However Ukrainian sociologists have vast experience of holding exit polls and of participation in large political campaigns in general. In Ukraine and in other post-Soviet countries and states of Eastern Europe “TNS-Ukraine” took part in more than 20 electoral campaigns. The first exit poll was held by the company back in 1989.

However, such an impressive portfolio of the company has a dark page – the company was accused of rigging the results of the sociological data at the latest presidential election in Ukraine.

As charter97.org website reminds, on November 13 2009 Sergei Tigipko sued “TNS-Ukraine” in the court of Podolsky district of Kyiv, where the company is registered. The suit concerns the work performed by “TNS-Ukraine” with low quality. Collection and publishing of data in the framework of public opinion research concerning pre-election preferences were meant.

Rigging the research data was detected in a result of an independent check at the territory of “TNS-Ukraine” by independent contractors.

It was found out that at least one forth of respondents had not even known that they were taking part in a poll. The quota principle was violated, and almost 40% of pollsters expressed a different opinion when a control check was held.

The total number of interviews to which the three abovementioned violations could be applied, is 66% of the total number.

As said by the head of two organizations (SOCIS and “TNS-Ukraine”), Sociology Doctor in Sociology, Nikolay Churilov, “TNS-Ukraine” was ordered to hold the exit poll at the presidential election in Belarus by the state-run TV channel ONT.

By the way, despite the fact that the ownership rights on the data which would be obtained by “TNS-Ukraine” in Belarus belongs to ONT channel, Nikolay Churilov permit to say: “According to our surveys, Lukashenka has about 70% now, and he could be congratulated on the victory.” It is clear why precisely these sociologists had been accredited by the Belarusian authorities.