Interfax: Nemtsov, Tymoshenko, Shushkevich top unpopularity lists – poll

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 17, 2013) Boris Nemtsov, Yulia Tymoshenko and Stanislav Shushkevich top “no confidence” rankings lists compiled after recent opinion polls taken in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Respondents in the polls, conducted by Integratsiya Foundation, were shown lists of opposition politicians in their respective countries and asked whether they trusted any of them, the foundation said in a statement made available to Interfax on Monday.

Nemtsov ended up at the head of the Russian list with 69%. After him came Sergei Udaltsov with 51% and Alexei Navalny with 45%.

Tymoshenko was number one on the Ukrainian list with 69%. Oleh Tyahnybok was second with 57% and Arseny Yatsenyuk third with 46%.

Stanislav Shushkevich took the top rung on the Belarusian list with 67%. Alexander Lebedko was in second place with 52% and Andrei Sannikov in third place with 46%.

“The top positions on the no confidence rankings were taken by politicians who have held senior state office – Boris Nemtsov, Yulia Tymoshenko and Stanislav Shushkevich,” survey organizers said.

“The respondents were pointing out that, when in office, deputy premier Nemtsov, ex-premier Tymoshenko and the signatory to the Belaya Vezha agreements Shushkevich had shown what they were capable of. Confidence in them was undermined by their performance in high state positions,” the statement said.

On the other hand, the greatest confidence was put in non-professional opposition politicians – Russian novelist Boris Akunin, Ukrainian boxer Vitaly Klitschko and Belarusian poet Vladimir Neklyayev. They enjoyed the trust of 15%, 33% and 16% of respondents respectively.

The surveys were made between May 27 and June 17. Altogether, 2,700 people aged 18 to 65 were questioned.