Oppol1_Ukraine Main report - European Union External Action

EuropeAid/127122/C/SER/Multi

Opinion Polling and Research in the ENPI Countries and Territories (OPPOL)

Country report on the opinion poll 1, Ukraine 17 March 2010

MWH47501381.034. rev.1

This project is funded by the European Union

A project implemented by a consortium led by MWH


R EVISION

D ATE

D ESCRIPTION

P REPARED BY (A UTHOR )

R EVIEWED BY

0

10/03/2010

Draft Country report on the Opinion Poll 1, Ukraine

Guillaume Rainsard

Jean Van Kerchove

1

17/03/2010

Country report on the Opinion Poll 1, Ukraine

Guillaume Rainsard

Jean Van Kerchove

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Community. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the MWH, TNS Opinion and Mostra Consortium and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union


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Summary

ROJECT TITLE:

Opinion Polling and Research in the ENPI Countries and Territory

PROJECT NUMBER:


COUNTRIES:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Palestinian Authorities

LEAD CONTRACTOR NAME

MWH

ADDRESS

Nysdam Office Park Avenue Reine Astrid, 92 B-1310 La Hulpe BELGIUM

TEL. NUMBER

+32 2 6552237

FAX NUMBER

+32 2 6552280

CONTACT PERSON

Sophie Papalexiou

SIGNATURE DATE OF REPORT:

17 March 2010

AUTHOR OF REPORT:

Pascal Chelala/Guillaume Rainsard, TNS Opinion

CONTRACTOR

…….Sophie Papalexiou ............

......................................

.............................

Name

Signature

Date

......................................

.............................

Signature

Date

EC TASK MANAGER

Veronique Demange-Ruggirello Name

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Table of Contents

1

INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................... 3

2

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

.................................................................................................. 4

2.1

Personal values and challenges for our country .........................................................................4

2.2

Knowledge of the EU...................................................................................................................4

2.3

Appraisal of the role of the EU.....................................................................................................4

2.4

The role of other actors in our country ........................................................................................5

2.5

Communications and the media ..................................................................................................5

3

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

........................................................................................................... 6

4

DETAILS OF THE ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 8

4.1

Personal values and challenges for our country .........................................................................8 4.1.1 Personal Values ..............................................................................................................................................8 4.1.2 Challenges ......................................................................................................................................................9

4.2

Knowledge of the EU.................................................................................................................11

4.3

Appraisal of the role of the EU...................................................................................................12 4.3.1 Characteristics of the EU ..............................................................................................................................12 4.3.2 Relations between the EU and our country...................................................................................................13 4.3.3 Opinions of the EU ........................................................................................................................................15

4.4

The role of other actors in our country ......................................................................................19 4.4.1 Economic Development in our country .........................................................................................................19 4.4.2 Security and Stability in our country..............................................................................................................20

4.5

Communications and the media ...............................................................................................21 4.5.1 News and current affairs ...............................................................................................................................21 4.5.2 Information about the EU ..............................................................................................................................22


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List of tables Table 1.

Personal importance of issues to the respondent ...............................................................8

Table 2.

Importance of personal values.............................................................................................9

Table 3.

Challenges for your country...............................................................................................10

Table 4.

True / False statements about the EU ...............................................................................11

Table 5.

Characteristics of the EU ...................................................................................................12

Table 6.

Comparison EU vs Personal Values (top 3 most quoted) .................................................13

Table 7.

Reasons country has benefited from EU policies..............................................................14

Table 8.

Reasons country has not benefited from EU policies........................................................15

Table 9.

Agreement with statements about the EU .........................................................................16

Table 10. Role of the EU in national life ............................................................................................17 Table 11. Increasing the role of the EU in our country ......................................................................18 Table 12. Actors capable of helping Economic Development in our country ....................................19 Table 13. Actors capable of helping Security and Stability in our country.........................................20 Table 14. Sources of information about news and current affairs .....................................................21 Table 15. Sources of information about the EU.................................................................................22 Table 16. Trust in information sources ..............................................................................................23

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1 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY This country report on the first wave of the opinion poll for Ukraine is one of the 14 reports from the second phase of the Opinion Polling and Research (OPPOL) project. The OPPOL project aims : • to generate better information about the sources of information of different target groups in the ENPI countries, their awareness, understanding and perception of the European Union (EU) and the role it plays in their respective countries. • to test messages aiming at getting the overall EU policies and actions across or shift opinion (in another phase). • to provide a reliable research basis for the EU-related communication and information activities in beneficiary countries. The project is divided in 3 main phases: • The baselines studies: to interview the opinion leaders to get their perception, their appraisal of the EU, have an indication of the knowledge of the EU institutions and policies and start to understand their way of getting information. • Three waves of opinion polling: one in 2009 and two in 2010. • A qualitative phase with focus groups and in-depth interviews to fine tune the communication messages. This report summarizes the outcomes of 400 interviews with members of the general public in Ukraine. The interviews were conducted using a pre-defined questionnaire containing 29 Questions, similar for all 14 countries and territories surveyed. The questionnaire was submitted for comments to the Press and Information officer from the Delegation in the country. The confidence limits of the results are estimated to range from 2.9 to 4.9 depending on the observed percentage, which means that for a result of 50% (for instance 50% of the respondents "agree with the following statement of the question Q10"), this percentage for the observed population could range between 45% and 55%.

The results are grouped in four main themes : 1. Personal values and challenges for our country 2. Knowledge of the EU 3. Appraisal of the role of the EU 4. The role of other actors in our country 5. Communications and the media Due to the limited size of the sample per country as well as to the potential bias of the replies (those who are favorably predisposed to the EU, or have the feeling to be more familiar with the EU, might more likely agree to participate in the survey than those who are not), the results should be taken as an indicative direction and not as a representative image of the whole population of a country. Whenever the report refers to averages, it means an arithmetical average.


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2 CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

2.1

PERSONAL VALUES AND CHALLENGES FOR OUR COUNTRY

Family is almost universally considered important by respondents. Friends, leisure time, and work are also considered important by a large majority of them. Respondents feel that economic prosperity, peace and security, and human rights among the most important personal values. Other values that they consider important include absence of corruption, honesty, and individual freedom. When asked to select the most important value, almost one in four respondents select economic prosperity and more than one in seven value peace and security most. Among the values that respondents feel are serious challenges include fighting corruption, ensuring healthy economic growth, rule of law/functioning state, establishing security and defence, and managing energy resources. When asked to select which of these issues is the most challenging for Ukraine today, fighting corruption, ensuring healthy economic growth, and rule of law/functioning state are selected most frequently. The respondents are fairly clear in their opinion about the direction of the country: more than seven in ten believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction, compared with just 12% who believe that the country is headed in the right direction.

2.2

KNOWLEDGE OF THE EU

More than one third of respondents say that they are very or quite familiar with the European Union, its policies, and institutions. Sixty two percent of respondents say they are not familiar. One in ten respondents is able to correctly identify that there are not 25 Member States in the EU. More respondents are aware that the Red Cross is not an EU institution. Few respondents are able to correctly identify UNICEF as a non-EU institution. The majority of respondents is aware that the EU has its own flag and that the Euro is the Union’s common currency. Less than half of respondents are aware that the EU provides Ukraine with financial support for development programmes. One in five do not believe that the EU provides such support and one third say they do not know whether such support exists. Less than a third of respondents was able to name an EU programme in Ukraine.

2.3

APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF THE EU

The majority of respondents say that they have a positive image of the EU (46%) and 5% of respondents say that they have a negative image. More than four in ten respondents have a neutral image of the EU. The characteristics that respondents feel best represent the EU include economic prosperity, human rights, peace and security, and democracy. Individual freedom, solidarity, and rule of law/transparency are the most frequently mentioned characteristics that respondents feel represent the EU. Economic prosperity is the characteristic that most respondents feel represents the EU. There is congruence between the characteristics that respondents say are most representative of the EU and those that they say are most important to them personally. Respondents rated economic prosperity and peace and security as the most representative of the EU and these were also the values in which respondents personally place the most importance. More than six in ten respondents feel that Ukraine and the EU have very or fairly good relations. 4

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Less than one in five respondents believes that relations between the two are fairly bad. 37% of respondents say that Ukraine has benefited from EU policies toward the country. 30% respondents believe that EU policies have not benefited Ukraine and one third say that they do not know whether Ukraine has benefited from EU policies. When asked why Ukraine has benefited from EU policies, most respondents state that EU investment in the country is the primary reason. At least one in five respondents say that the EU is not interested in the Ukrainian situation or that it undermines the local economy. Three in four respondents believe that the EU and Ukraine are good neighbours. A large majority also believe that the EU helps promote democracy and that by helping Ukraine the EU is ensuring its own prosperity. When asked about the EU’s role in various aspects of Ukrainian life, most respondents feel that the EU plays a positive role in promoting peace in the country. This was the most positively perceived aspect of involvement in Ukrainian life by respondents. A majority of respondents stated that there is a greater role for the EU to play in all but a few of the areas about which they were asked.

2.4

THE ROLE OF OTHER ACTORS IN OUR COUNTRY

Respondents see the EU as the actor most capable of helping economic development in Ukraine. One third of respondents see the EU as the most capable partner for economic development compared with lesser percentages who feel that a single economic area with other CIS countries or the Ukrainian government is most capable. In the role of security and stability in Ukraine, respondents name the Government of Ukraine and the EU as the most capable actors of helping the country.

2.5

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

Almost nine in ten respondents receive information about news and current affairs from national TV channels and almost half receive this information from international TV channels. Less 40% respondents get their information from the Internet, discussions with friends and relatives, radio, and daily newspapers. The two television stations that respondents watch most often as sources for news and current affairs are “Inter” and “Studiya 1+1”. For those that get their information from the radio, the most popular channels include Russkoe Radio and Nashe Radio. The largest percentage of respondents gets their information about the EU from the television and from the Internet. Respondents trust friends and relatives as the most trusted possible sources of information. A majority also thinks that international journalists and representatives of the EU would be the most trusted as an information source.


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3 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION Fieldwork period:

during 9 – 29 December

Number of persons interviewed:

400

Localisation:

Interviews in urban areas: Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa and Lvov

By Gender:

By Age:

Man

45%

18 – 24 years

15%

Woman

55%

25 – 39

30%

40 – 54

26%

55 – 64

14%

65 +

16%

By Family status:

By Children (under 18) at home:

Single / Living in shared house

18%

Yes

32%

Married / With partner

63%

No

67%

Divorced / Separated / Widowed

17%

By Age finished full-time education: Up to 15 years old

By current Occupation: 2%

16 – 19

30%

Self-employed

20 +

57%

Employed

Still in education

11%

By Previously visited EU:

41% 8% 52%

By Relatives live / lived in EU:

Yes, for business

11%

Yes, for work

8%

Yes, on holiday

18%

Yes, for study

4%

Yes, lived / worked No

6

Not currently working

5% 68%

Yes, for other reason

11%

No

79%

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By Perceived level in society:

By Ownership of goods: Television

96%

1 Lowest level in society

2%

DVD player

58%

2

6%

CD player

39%

3

11%

Computer

61%

4

17%

Internet connection at home

53%

5

24%

Car

28%

6

16%

Apartment / house that is fully paid for

77%

7

14%

8

4%

9

1%

10 Highest level in society

3%

Apartment / house that is still being paid for

5%

None

0%


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4 DETAILS OF THE ANALYSIS

4.1

4.1.1

PERSONAL VALUES AND CHALLENGES FOR OUR COUNTRY

Personal Values

Family is almost universally (98%) considered important by respondents. Friends (87%), leisure time (80%), and work (78%) are also considered important by large majorities of respondents. Work is considered important by almost all of those who are currently employed (92%). A majority (52%) of respondents consider religion important while more than one third (36%) consider politics personally important. Table 1.

Personal importance of issues to the respondent Important

Not important

Family

98%

1%

Friends

87%

13%

Leisure time

80%

18%

Work

78%

20%

Religion

52%

45%

Politics

36%

62%

Q1: Using the scale ‘very important, fairly important, not very important, not at all important’, how important would you say each of the following are to you?

Some variation does exist among the importance of these issues for respondents. The youngest respondents (age 18-24) consider friends (98%) and leisure time (93%) more important than other age groups. Those age 55-64 consider politics (55%) important at a higher percentage than respondents of other ages. Religion is considered important by a higher percentage of women (57%) and those over age 65 (64%). When asked about the relative importance of a series of personal values, respondents place economic prosperity (79%), peace and security (70%), and human rights (75%) among the most important. Other values that respondents label as important include absence of corruption and honesty (64%) each and individual freedom (62%). When asked to select the most important value, almost one in four (23%) select economic prosperity as the value in which they place the most importance and 15% place the most value in peace and security. One in ten respondents (10%) feels that human rights and absence of corruption are the most important values.

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Table 2.

Importance of personal values Q19a – Important

Q19b – Most important

Economic prosperity

79%

23%

Peace and Security

70%

15%

Human Rights

75%

10%

Absence of corruption

64%

10%

Honesty

64%

8%

Individual Freedom

62%

8%

Self-fulfilment

52%

8%

Rule of law / transparency

51%

7%

Democracy

49%

3%

Solidarity

36%

2%

Freedom of Religion

37%

1%

Tolerance

36%

1%

Equality

44%

1%

Equality between men and women

31%

1%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

1%

1%

Don’t know (SPONTANEOUS)

0%

1%

Respect for other cultures

39%

0%

Freedom of the media

31%

0%

None of these (SPONTANEOUS)

0%

0%

Q19a: I am now going to read out a list of values. I would like you to tell me which of these values are most important for you personally? Q19b: Of those values you think are important, which one is most important to you?

Some demographic differences exist with respect to the importance of these values to respondents. Economic prosperity is considered important by more women (83%) than men (75%). More women also consider peace and security (74%) important than men (64%). The oldest respondents (over age 65) generally consider honesty (68%) and peace and security (78%) important more often than other age groups. As for the values that respondents consider the most important, more women (18%) than men (10%) feel that peace and security is the most important value. Respondents over age 65 consider the issues of rule of law (12%) and peace and security (22%) more important than the youngest respondents (2% and 15%, respectively).

4.1.2

Challenges

Respondents were asked to determine the importance of a series of issues that may be facing Ukraine today. Among the values that respondents feel are serious challenges include fighting corruption (84%), ensuring healthy economic growth (79%), rule of law/functioning state (62%), establishing security and defence (59%), and managing energy resources (56%). When asked to select which of these issues is the most challenging for Ukraine today, fighting corruption (30%),


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ensuring healthy economic growth (30%), and rule of law/functioning state (17%) are selected most frequently. Table 3.

Challenges for your country Q2a – Serious challenge

Q2b – Most serious challenge

Fighting corruption

84%

30%

Ensuring healthy economic growth

79%

30%

Rule of Law / Functioning State

62%

17%

Establishing security and defence

59%

6%

Managing energy resources

56%

4%

Providing education to all citizens

44%

3%

Engaging in closer cooperation with surrounding countries

45%

3%

Tackling climate change

34%

2%

Ensuring freedom of speech

38%

2%

Popular sovereignty

40%

1%

Promoting Ukrainian culture

29%

1%

Managing migration (both IN and OUT)

29%

1%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

2%

1%

Refugees and Internal Displaced people

22%

0%

Q2a: I am now going to read out a list of issues that may face countries today. For each issue I would like you to tell me whether you think it is a serious challenge for Ukraine today? Q2b: Of those issues you think are a serious challenge for Ukraine, which one do you think is the most serious?

More women than men consider fighting corruption (87% and 81%, respectively), ensuring healthy economic growth (82% and 76%, respectively), and establishing security and defence (62% and 55%, respectively) among the most serious challenges for Ukraine. Nine in ten (89%) respondents over age 65 consider fighting corruption as a serious challenge for Ukraine today, compared with three in four (75%) under age 25. The oldest respondents also consider security and defence to be important more often (66%) than respondents from any other age group. There is also some demographic variation among respondents when asked to select the most important among these issues. Women (32%) are more likely than men (28%) to feel that ensuring healthy economic growth is the most important issue facing Ukraine today. Respondents under age 25 (37%) are more likely than other respondents to feel that ensuring economic growth is the most serious challenge. Respondents over age 65 (22%) are more likely than any other age demographic to feel that rule of law is the most serious challenge facing the country today. The respondents are fairly clear in their opinion about the direction of the country. More than three in ten (73%) respondents believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction, compared with just 12% of respondents who believe that the country is headed in the right direction. 15% of respondents gave a spontaneous “don’t know” response to the question. Women (76%) are more inclined than men (69%) to believe that things in Ukraine are headed in the wrong direction.

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4.2

KNOWLEDGE OF THE EU

Respondents were asked the following question: “In terms of how much you know about the European Union, its policies and its institutions would you say that you are very familiar, quite familiar, not very familiar or not at all familiar with the European Union, its policies and institutions?” More than one third (34%) of respondents say that they are very (2%) or quite familiar (32%) with the European Union, its policies and institutions. Sixty two percent of respondents say they are “not very familiar” or “not at all familiar” with the EU, its policies and institutions and an additional 3% say that they have never heard of the EU. Men (39%) are much more likely than women (30%) to be very/quite familiar with the EU, its policies, and institutions. Respondents were also asked the following question to determine awareness of the EU: “I am now going to read out some statements about the European Union. Could you please tell me whether you think each one is true or false?” One in ten (12%) respondents is able to correctly identify that there are not 25 Member States in the EU. More (31%) respondents are aware that the Red Cross is not an EU institution. Fewer respondents (17%) are able to correctly identify UNICEF as a non-EU institution. The majority of respondents is aware that the EU has its own flag (68%) and that the Euro is the Union’s common currency (73%). Table 4.

True / False statements about the EU True

False

Don’t Know (SPONTANEOUS)

The EU currently consists of 25 Member States

47%

12%

41%

The Red Cross is a EU institution

38%

31%

30%

The EU has its own flag

68%

6%

26%

UNICEF is a EU institution

26%

17%

57%

The Euro is the common currency of all EU Member States

73%

20%

7%

Q4: I am now going to read out some statements about the EU. Could you please tell me whether you think each one is true or false?

The data show some variation according to demographic characteristics. For some of the statements, men were more likely than women to correctly identify false statements. Examples include awareness of the number of EU Member States (where 16% of men and 9% of women are able to identify the membership number as false), awareness of the Red Cross as a non-EU institution (where 40% of men and 24% of women realize that the Red Cross is not an EU institution), and awareness that the EU has its own flag (72% and 64%, respectively). There are generally no trends in awareness by age group, although younger respondents (42%) are more likely than other age groups to know that the Red Cross is not an EU institution. Less than half (46%) of respondents are aware that the EU provides Ukraine with financial support for development programmes. One in five respondents (20%) do not believe that the EU provides such support and one third (34%) say they do not know whether such support exists. Men (54%) are more aware than women (39%) of the financial support that the EU provides Ukraine. In addition, those who are currently employed (50%) are more aware than the unemployed (39%) of this support. Almost three in ten (29%) respondents was able to name an EU programme in Ukraine.


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4.3 4.3.1

APPRAISAL OF THE ROLE OF THE EU Characteristics of the EU

Respondents were asked the following question to gauge opinions about the European Union: “In general, does the European Union conjure up for you a very positive, fairly positive, neutral, fairly negative or very negative image?” A large number of respondents of respondents (46%) say that they have a very positive (10%) or fairly positive (36%) image of the EU. Just 5% of respondents say that they have a very (1%) or fairly negative (4%) image of the EU. More than four in ten (46%) respondents have a neutral image of the EU and 2% were not able to give an opinion. There is little demographic variation among responses to this question although those who are currently employed (51%) are significantly more likely than the unemployed (38%) to hold a positive image of the EU. The characteristics that respondents feel best represent the EU include economic prosperity (72%), human rights (62%), democracy (55%), and peace and security (51%). More than one in four respondents feel that individual freedom (48%), solidarity (44%), and rule of law/transparency (43%) best represent the EU. When asked to select only one characteristic that is most representative of the EU, almost one third (32%) of respondents choose economic prosperity. One in ten respondents selected human rights (10%) or peace and security (10%) as the most representative characteristic of the EU. Table 5.

Characteristics of the EU Q6a – Representative

Q6b – Most representative

Economic prosperity

72%

32%

Human Rights

62%

10%

Peace and Security

51%

10%

Democracy

55%

8%

Solidarity

44%

8%

Rule of law / transparency

43%

7%

Individual Freedom

48%

5%

Self-fulfilment

31%

5%

Tolerance

29%

3%

Honesty

22%

2%


26%

2%

Respect for other cultures

35%

2%

Equality

29%

2%

Freedom of Religion

33%

1%

Freedom of the media

31%

1%


31%

1%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

1%

1%

Don’t know (SPONTANEOUS) None of these (SPONTANEOUS)

2% 0%

1% 0%

Q6a: I am now going to read out a list of characteristics. I would like you to tell me which of these best represent the EU? Q6b: Of those characteristics you think represent the EU, which one do you think best represents it?

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Men (47%) are more likely than women (40%) to feel that rule of law / transparency is a representative characteristic of the EU. Conversely, women (46%) are slightly more likely than men (42%) to feel that solidarity is representative of the EU. In addition, respondents over age 65 are more likely than respondents in other age groups to believe that absence of corruption (42%) and honesty (27%) are representative characteristics of the EU. When asked to select the characteristic that best describes the EU, women are more likely than men to feel that economic prosperity (34% and 29%, respectively) and human rights (12% and 6%, respectively) are the most representative characteristics of the EU. Conversely, men (10%) are more likely than women (6%) to feel that solidarity is representative of the EU. There is congruence between the characteristics that respondents say are most representative of the EU and those that they say are the most important to them personally. Respondents rated economic prosperity and peace and security as the most representative of the EU. These were also the values in which respondents personally place the most importance. The characteristic that respondents feel ranks third in representation of the EU - absence of corruption – was not rated as highly as other values of importance to respondents. Human rights, which ranked third in terms of personal importance to respondents, was also mentioned as the most representative characteristic of the EU by one in ten (10%) respondents. Table 6.

4.3.2

Comparison EU vs Personal Values (top 3 most quoted) Q19b – EU values

Q6b – Personal values

Economic prosperity

1

1

Peace and Security

2

2


3

-

Human Rights

3

3

Relations between the EU and our country

Most respondents feel that Ukraine and the EU have a good relationship. Respondents were asked the following question: “In general, how would you describe the relations that the European Union has with Ukraine? Would you describe them as very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad?” More than six in ten (62%) respondents feel that Ukraine and the EU have very or fairly good relations. Less than one in five respondents (19%) believes that relations between the two are fairly bad and just 2% feel that they are very bad. Men (67%) are somewhat more likely than women (59%) to describe relations between Ukraine and the EU as very or fairly good. Conversely, women (23%) are more likely than men (14%) to say that relations between Ukraine and the EU are fairly bad. To measure perceived benefit of EU support respondents were asked, “Taking everything into account, would you say that Ukraine has benefited from the European Union’s current policies towards Ukraine or not?” 37% of respondents say that Ukraine has benefited from EU policies toward the country. Thirty percent of respondents believe that EU policies have not benefited Ukraine. One third (33%) of respondents say that they do not know whether Ukraine has benefited from EU policies.


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Men (39%) are slightly more likely than women (34%) to believe that Ukraine has benefited from current EU policies toward the country. There is also some variation by age demographics with those over age 65 (30%) less likely to feel that Ukraine has benefited from EU policies compared with younger respondents. When asked why Ukraine has benefited from EU policies, one half (49%) of respondents state that EU investment in the country is the primary reason that Ukraine benefits from current EU policies. At least one in four respondents say that Ukraine benefits because of the allocation of aid development (28%) and because the EU promotes trade (25%). Men are more likely than women to feel that Ukraine has benefited from EU policy because of EU investment in Ukraine (59% and 39%, respectively), because more people visit Ukraine (19% and 12%), and because it promotes trade (29% and 20%). Respondents age 40-54 (59%) and those over age 65 (55%) are more likely than respondents of other ages to see EU investment in Ukraine as a reason why the country has benefited from EU policies. Respondents under age 25 (34%), those aged 40-54 (36%) and those aged 55-64 (32%) are more likely than other age groups to mention allocation of development aid as a reason that Ukraine has benefited from current EU policy. Table 7.

Reasons why our country has benefited from EU policies

EU investment in Ukraine

49%

Allocates aid development

28%

Promotes trade

25%

Gives access to more products and services

19%

Other

19%

Promotes peace and stability

18%

More people visit Ukraine

16%

Contributes to development of infrastructure

14%

Improves environmental services

10%

Promotes good government

6%

Improves education

6%

Improves employment

4%

Improves agriculture

1%

Promotion of the creation of a Palestinian state

0%

Q10a: Why would you say that Ukraine has benefited from current EU policies?

When asked why Ukraine has not benefited from EU policies, at least one in five respondents say that the EU is not interested in their situation (22%) or that it undermines the local economy (20%). Other reasons respondents give for Ukraine not benefiting from EU policies include interfering in how they do things (15%) and encouraging people to leave Ukraine (13%). Women are more likely than men to say that Ukraine has not benefited from EU policies because it undermines local economy (17% of men and 22% of women respectively), whereas men are more likely than women to say that Ukraine has not benefited because the EU is not interested in their situation (29% and 17%, respectively). Those age 40-54 (33%) are most likely to respond that undermining local economy is the primary reason why Ukraine has not benefited from EU policy. Those over age 65 are more likely to feel that Ukraine has not benefited because of interfering in how they do things (27%).

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Table 8.

Reasons why our country has not benefited from EU policies

Is not interested in our situation

22%

Undermines local economy

20%

Interfering in how we do things

15%

Encourages people to leave Ukraine

13%

Damages our relations with other countries

9%

Gives more money to Eastern European countries

6%

Weakens national identity

4%

Lack of a Palestinian state

0%

Other

30%

Q10b: Why would you say that Ukraine has NOT benefited from current EU policies?

4.3.3

Opinions of the EU

Respondents were asked to agree or disagree with a series of statements about the EU and relations with Ukraine. Fast three in four (74%) respondents agree that the EU and Ukraine are good neighbours. Seven in ten believe that the EU helps promote democracy (70%) and that by helping Ukraine the EU is ensuring its own prosperity (70%). Approximately two thirds of respondents say that Ukraine and the EU have sufficient common values (66%), that the EU is an important partner of Ukraine (66%), and that the Ukrainian Government is supporting the action of the EU in Ukraine (64%). A large number of respondents also agree that that the EU can help bring peace and stability to Ukraine (57%), that the EU can help bring peace and stability in the region (55%), and that the EU has an appropriate level of involvement in Ukraine (51%). More than half (55%) of respondents disagrees that there is enough information on the EU available in Ukraine. More than one in four (43%) disagrees that communication from the EU about Ukraine is easy to understand.


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Table 9.

Agreement with statements about the EU Agree

Disagree

The EU has the appropriate level of involvement in Ukraine

51%

33%

The EU helps the promotion of democracy through its cooperation activity

70%

17%

The EU can help bring peace and stability to Ukraine

57%

30%

The EU can help bring peace and stability in the region surrounding Ukraine

55%

26%

The Ukrainian Government is supporting the action of the EU in Ukraine

64%

17%

By helping Ukraine the EU is ensuring its own prosperity

70%

18%

There is enough information on the EU available in Ukraine

32%

55%

Communication from the EU about UKRAINE is easy to understand

31%

43%

Communication from the EU does not take into account the reality of life in UKRAINE

46%

29%

The EU is an important partner of UKRAINE

66%

23%

The EU and UKRAINE are good neighbours

74%

18%

UKRAINE and the EU have sufficient common values to be able to cooperate

66%

21%

The EU finances development projects in UKRAINE

46%

23%

Q11: I am now going to read out a series of statements concerning the EU. Can you please tell me to what extent you agree or disagree with each statement?

The results show that men are more likely than women to agree that the EU helps the promotion of democracy through its cooperation activity (73% and 67%, respectively), that communication from the EU about Ukraine is easy to understand (37% and 27%, respectively) and that the EU finances development projects in Ukraine (52% and 41%, respectively). Respondents age 55 to 64 (81%) are the most likely to agree that by helping Ukraine the EU ensures its own prosperity. Those over age 65 are the least likely (60%) to agree that the EU helps promotion of democracy through its cooperation activity. When asked about the EU’s role in various aspects of Ukrainian life, most (54%) respondents feel that the EU plays a positive role in promoting peace in the country – more than any other area of involvement. Many respondents also say that EU involvement is positive in the growth the Ukrainian economy (33%) and in healthcare (31%) in the country. A large number of respondents - ranging from 32% to 52% - were not able to give a positive or negative to these aspects of EU involvement. One in ten (10%) respondents see EU involvement in job creation as negative.

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Table 10. Role of the EU in national life Positive

Neither positive nor negative

Negative

Peace in Ukraine

54%

32%

4%

Growth of Ukraine economy

33%

42%

7%

Fight against poverty in Ukraine

24%

52%

7%

Tackling climate change in Ukraine

22%

47%

6%

Healthcare in Ukraine

31%

43%

8%

Education in Ukraine

27%

42%

12%

Promoting the role of women in Ukraine

22%

48%

6%

Job creation in Ukraine

24%

44%

10%

Q17: I am going to read out a number of areas of national life. For each one, can you tell me, in your opinion, does the EU tend to play a positive role, a negative role or neither a positive nor a negative role.

Men are more likely than women to feel positively about most of the roles that the EU plays in Ukrainian life including fighting against poverty (26% and 21%, respectively), healthcare (34% vs. 29%), and education (31% vs. 24%). There are also some demographic variations in responses by age. Respondents over age 65 are the least likely to state that the EU plays a positive role in peace in Ukraine (41%). Those under age 25 are the most likely to feel that the EU plays a positive role in the growth of the Ukrainian economy (44%), fighting poverty in Ukraine (31%), tackling climate change (29%), healthcare (43%), and education in Ukraine (38%). Respondents feel that there is a greater role for the EU to play in many issues in Ukraine. More than seven in ten respondents feel that there is a greater role for the EU in the areas of economic development (76%), trade (75%), and regional cooperation (73%). More than six in ten feel that the EU should play a greater role in the areas of energy security (69%), external policy and foreign affairs (65%), environment and climate change (64%), migration (63%), democracy (62%), security and defence (62%), and refugees/displaced persons (61%). Respondents are split over whether the EU should be more involved in the area of education (45% agree, 44% disagree) and a majority of them (53%) believe that the EU should not be involved in culture.


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Table 11. Increasing the role of the EU in our country Yes

No

Economic development

76%

18%

Trade

75%

17%

Regional cooperation

73%

17%

Energy security

69%

23%

External policy and foreign affairs

65%

21%

Environment and climate change

64%

24%

Migration

63%

22%

Democracy

62%

30%

Security and defence

62%

31%

Refugees / displaced persons

61%

23%

Freedom of expression of the media

56%

32%

Transport

49%

40%


47%

37%

Education

45%

44%

Culture

37%

53%

Q18: And for each of the following areas can you please tell me whether or not you think the EU should have a greater role to play in Ukraine?

Demographically, women are more likely than men to feel that the EU should have a greater role to play in the areas of energy security (72% of women and 67% of men). However, men are more likely than women to feel that the EU should increase its role in other areas including transport (55% of men and 43% of women), education (48% and 43%, respectively), democracy (66% and 59%), trade (80% and 70%), refugees / displaced persons (65% and 57%) and regional cooperation (78% and 70%). Those respondents under age 25 are more likely (54%) than other respondents to feel that the EU should have a greater role in education in Ukraine.

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4.4

4.4.1

THE ROLE OF OTHER ACTORS IN OUR COUNTRY

Economic Development in our country

Respondents see the EU as the actor most capable of helping economic development in Ukraine. Fast one third of respondents (32%) see the EU as the most capable partner for economic development compared with 23% who perceive that a single economic area with other CIS is most capable and 22% who think the Government of Ukraine is capable of most effectively helping economic development in the country.

Table 12. Actors capable of helping Economic Development in our country The EU

32%

Single Economic Area with other CIS

23%

The Government of Ukraine

22%

A G8 or G20 country

16%

The USA

12%

NATO

9%

The United Nations or one of its agencies

8%

GUAM – Organisation for Democracy and Economic Development

5%

United Nations Development Programme

5%

None (SPONTANEOUS)

16%


16%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

1%

Q12: In your opinion, which of the following actors are capable of most effectively helping economic development in Ukraine? Please name no more than three.

Opinions about which actors are most capable in helping economic development vary somewhat by demographics. Men are more likely than women to believe that the European Union is capable of most effectively helping economic development in Ukraine (35% and 30%, respectively) or that a G8 or G20 country would be the most capable partner (20% of men and 12% of women). Those over age 65 (14%) are more likely to think that NATO would be a better partner in economic development than other age groups.


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4.4.2

Security and Stability in our country

In the role of security and stability in Ukraine, respondents name the Government of Ukraine (26%) and the EU (22%) as the most capable actors of helping Ukraine in this regard. One in five (21%) respondents says that they do not know who would be capable of most effectively helping security and stability in the country. Table 13. Actors capable of helping Security and Stability in our country The Government of Ukraine

26%

The EU

22%


21%

NATO

16%

The United Nations or one of its agencies

15%

Collective Security Treaty Organisation

15%

None (SPONTANEOUS)

15%

A G8 or G20 country

11%

The USA

4%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

1%

Q13: And in your opinion, which of the following actors are capable of most effectively helping security and stability in Ukraine? Please name no more than three.

Men are more likely than women to think that the EU (25% and 19%, respectively) and NATO (18% and 14%) are among the most capable actors to assist Ukraine with peace and stability, while women are more likely than men to offer the Ukrainian Government (28% of women and 24% of men, respectively) as a response. Those under age 25 (20%) are more likely to feel that NATO is capable of effectively helping security and stability in Ukraine.

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4.5

4.5.1

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

News and current affairs

Almost nine in ten (89%) respondents receive information about news and current affairs from national TV channels and almost half (47%) receive this information from international TV channels. Less than four in ten respondents get their information from the Internet (38%), discussions with relatives, friends, and colleagues (36%), radio (36%), or daily newspapers (34%).

Table 14. Sources of information about news and current affairs National TV Channels

89%

International TV Channels

47%

The Internet

38%

Discussions with relatives, friends, and colleagues

36%

Radio

36%

Daily newspapers

34%

Other newspapers, magazines

26%

Books, brochures, information leaflets

9%

Never look for such information, not interested (SPONTANEOUS)

5%

Professional meetings, conferences and events

4%

Religious gatherings or meetings

3%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

0%


0%

Q14: From which of the following sources do you get information about national and international news and current affairs? Any others?

Men are more likely than women to receive news from international television channels (51% of women vs. 43% of men, respectively), and the Internet (43% vs. 34%). Two thirds (66%) of respondents under age 25 receive news from the Internet, more than any other age group. The two television stations that respondents watch most often as sources for news and current affairs are “Inter” (88%) and “Studiya 1+1” (79%). The viewership rates for these channels were a great deal higher than any other stations. More than half of respondents say that Novyy Kanal (56%), ICTV (56%), and STB (54%) were also among the most watched television channels. For those that get their information from the radio, the most popular channels include Russkoe Radio (37%) and Nashe Radio (36%). One in three respondents says that they get their information from “Radio Shanson” (30%) and “Evropa Plus” (30%). KHIT FM (27%) was also among the stations that respondents turn to for news and current events.


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4.5.2

Information about the EU

The largest percentage of respondents get their information about the EU from the television (46%) and from the Internet (43%). One in five (21%) respondents gets their information about the EU from the European Union’s official website. Men (47%) are more likely than women (39%), and those under age 25 (66%) are more likely than other respondents to get their information about the EU from the Internet. Those over age 65 most often mention television (62%) as a source of information about the EU. Table 15. Sources of information about the EU Television

46%

The Internet

43%

The European Union’s official website, ‘Europa’, (www.europa.eu)

21%

Daily newspapers

20%

Discussions with relatives, friends, and colleagues

18%

Other newspapers, magazines

17%

Radio

16%

The official website of the EU Delegation in Ukraine

15%

European Commission Delegation in Ukraine

12%

Never look for such information, not interested (SPONTANEOUS)

12%

Books, brochures, information leaflets

10%

The ‘Euromedia / ENPI East’ website

6%

Ukraine Government, public authorities

5%

Meetings, conferences or events

5%


2%

Other (SPONTANEOUS)

1%

Q15: If you were looking for information specifically about the EU, its policies and institutions, which of the following sources, if any, would you use? Any others?

Respondents (68%) trust friends and relatives as the most trusted possible sources of information. A large number of respondents also think that international journalists (58%) and representatives of the EU (58%) would be the most trusted as an information source. The information sources most distrusted by respondents include politicians and officials from the opposition (76%) and from the Ukrainian Government (75%).

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Table 16. Trust in information sources Trust

Do not trust

Friends and relatives

68%

24%

Colleagues at work

44%

33%

National journalists

44%

42%

International journalists

58%

28%

Politicians and officials from the Government

15%

75%

Politicians and officials from the opposition

13%

76%

Representatives of the EU

58%

22%

Q16: I am going to read out a list of possible information sources. For each one can you tell me if you trust it or not to provide you with information about the European Union, its policies and its institutions?

Demographically, men are more likely than women to consider international journalists as trusted sources of information (62% and 54%, respectively). Younger respondents (under age 25) are more likely to consider friends and relatives (81%) as a trusted possible source of information. They are are also more likely to feel that colleagues (49%) are trusted sources of information, while those aged 55-64 (54%) and those over age 65 (50%) are more likely to consider national journalists trustworthy.


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