Classified Belarus poll data leaked online
People in Minsk / Euroradio
The returns of a classified public opinion poll conducted in Belarus by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (RPORC) at the request of Russia's Foreign Ministry have surfaced online. RPORC as a non-Belarusian entity has no license to conduct political surveys in Belarus.
The poll found that Tsikhanouskaya, Babaryka, and Kalesnikava top the list of the most popular politicians. As to the foreign political actors, the Belarusians favor Angela Merkel.
Kachanava, Lukashenka, and Makei are the most disliked local politicians. Putin, together with Zelensky, got the same spots in the “foreign” category.
The results also showed that 76% of the respondents favor drastic economic reforms, and 66% are against uniting with the Russian Federation. That said, people are mostly okay with the Russian-Belarusian integration.
71% of the respondents disapprove of the blockage of news websites, arrests and prosecution of journalists. 65% consider Viktar Babaryka’s 14-year sentence terrible news.
Belarusian society has no consensus on some topics. The divisive issues include the Nuclear Power Plant in Astraviec, Western sanctions, and the National Unity Day.
Media analyst Serge Kharytonau reckons that "the poll results reflect the changes, tectonic in nature, that have been happening in the Belarusian society over the past 1.5 years.
Belarus has taken the path of Czechoslovakia and the Baltic countries of the late ’80s. The prolonged battle with the tyranny will end in the total collapse of the totalitarianism and the establishment of a pro-European national policy."
