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A majority of respondents, 66%, in a survey conducted by VTsIOM have said alcoholism and drug abuse are the most serious problem facing Russia, the opinion research center reported Thursday. Inflation and terrorism were highlighted as Russia's second most serious problem by 56% and 44% of respondents, respectively. About one-third (36%) of respondents were concerned about the crime rate; 34% were worried by the quality and cost of housing and utility services; 33% by low pension rates; 31% by unemployment; and 29% by the acute demographic crisis. The influence exerted on political and economic developments in the country by well-connected businessmen known as oligarchs worries 22% of respondents, and 23% are concerned about low moral standards in modern Russian society.
The order of those problems changed when their impact on personal life was discussed, with inflation being in the lead, VTsIOM said. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they are worried by high inflation. About one-third of those surveyed said low pension pays are the most sensitive issue for them. Unemployment, poor quality and high tariffs of the housing and utilities sector concerned 31% of respondents. And 33% said drug and alcohol abuse worry them the most. Crime, healthcare, poor living standards were highlighted as the most serious problems by 25% to 27% of respondents. Only 22% of those surveyed said terrorism is a problem that affects them personally, compared to 44% who put it third among the gravest national threats.
The poll showed that the situation has worsened, rather than improved, virtually in all spheres of life in Russia in the last five years.
Sixty-two percent of respondents pointed to negative trends in efforts to curb inflation; 58% said measures to fight alcohol and drug abuse have become less effective, as have steps against crime, according to 55% of respondents. And 45% said measures to stem terrorism, corruption and extremism have also yielded fewer results over that period. From 51% to 53% of respondents noted declining standards in the housing and utilities sector, lower moral standards, and increasingly irresponsible attitudes to the environment. VTsIOM said nothing has improved or worsened in the sphere of democracy and human rights (44%); in energy supplies (37%); national security (36%); in the country in general ahead of parliamentary and presidential elections next year (35%) and since administrative reform was launched (34%). But international affairs were mentioned as a sphere that has demonstrated some progress in the past five years, with 44% of respondents saying Russia has improved its positions in the world in that period, 19% highlighting some negative changes in the sphere, and 32% saying they saw no change at all.
The poll was conducted October 7-8 and involved 1,592 people in 153 residential areas across Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
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