Anti-corruption fight intensifies, yet results are insignificant – poll

MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) – The anti-corruption fight in Russia has started to bear tangible fruit, the Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) told Interfax on Tuesday. It polled 1,600 people in 138 towns and cities in 46 regions in late November.

Thirty-six percent of Russians said the anti-corruption measures were efficient in 2007, and the indicator has grown to 45% currently. Yet 38% of the respondents say the results are insignificant.

Most of the optimists are supporters of United Russia (58%) and A Just Russia (59%).

Thirty-eight percent, mostly Communist Party supporters (48%) and elderly people (44%), say there is still no improvement. Thirteen percent, mostly Communist Party supporters (24%), argue there has been a change for the worse.

In the opinion of Russians, the president was the most efficient fighter of corruption. His efficiency was affirmed by 12% eight years ago and 31% now. People believe in the anti-corruption efficiency of law enforcement agencies (12% vs. 17%), special commissions (5% vs. 13%) and the National Anti-Corruption Committee (3% vs. 9%).

The belief in the media’s anti-corruption efficiency grew most (from 4% to 21% within eight years).

There is a less significant anti-corruption contribution from human rights organizations (9%), courts and tax authorities (6%), the Audit Chamber (5%), local authorities (3%) and the Federal Financial Monitoring Service (1%). The percentage of Russians who think there are no effective fighters of corruption has declined from 52% to 29% within eight years.

A growing number of Russians are prepared to report corruption (56% to 61% in eight years).

Russians are less prepared to inform the police than the media (6% vs. 15%), the president and human rights organizations (9%) and local authorities (5%).

The number of Russians who think that corruption is invincible has declined from 64% to 50%. Most of the pessimists are supporters of non-parliamentary parties (56%) and non-voters (59%).

More people believe corruption can be defeated (30% vs. 44%). Most of them are Communist Party supporters, Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents (52%), the sociologists said.