Ukrainians have trust in church, media, army – poll

(Interfax – KYIV, June 6, 2013) Only three social institutes – the Church, the media and the Armed Forces – enjoy confidence of Ukrainians, according to the survey done by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Center.

Some 31.7% trust the Church fully, 38.4% are inclined to trust, 10.6% are not inclined, and 9.3% have no confidence in the Church at all. The media enjoys full confidence of 10.3%, while 48% principally trust the media, 21.2% principally have no trust, and 12.6% have absolutely no trust. Full confidence in the Armed Forces was expressed by 8.2%, 40.4% expressed their confidence in principle, 18.9% are not inclined to trust the Armed Forces and 18.3% have absolutely no trust.

The Verkhovna Rada, the president, courts, political parties, the government, the police, prosecutors and local authorities are trusted by less people than mistrusted. For instance, the chief of state enjoys trust of 6.5% of the respondents. Some 19.3% principally trust him, 23.9% principally have no trust, and 45% have no trust in him.

The Verkhovna Rada enjoys full confidence of only 1.6% of Ukrainians; 14.7% principally trust it, 31.7% principally do not trust it, and 45.1% have no trust. Three percent expressed full their confidence in the government, 19.3% principally trust it, 26.9% principally do not trust it, and 44.1% have absolutely no trust.

The survey also showed that the Ukrainian media was more trusted than the Russian media in Ukraine: 58% of the respondents have full or partial confidence in the Ukrainian media, and 34% voice the opposite opinion, while the indicators stand at 33% and 46% respectively for the Russian media.

As to the freedom of speech in Ukraine, 10.2% said the country had full freedom of speech, 45.9% argued it mostly existed, 29% said it was mostly non-existent and 7.3% said there was no freedom of speech in the country.

A total of 2,010 respondents older than 18 were polled on May 17-22.