Moscow, 30 June: Russian citizens are increasingly worried by rising prices, sociological studies have shown. At present inflation is the main cause for concern of 82 per cent of citizens, whereas in 2007 only 64 per cent of Russians were alarmed by growing prices, sociologists from Levada Centre have told Interfax quoting the results of a poll conducted on 1-22 June.

The issue of poverty and the falling living standards of the majority of the population worries 45 per cent of those polled (52 per cent in 2007). About a third of the polled (35 percent) are concerned about the sharp stratification of society in terms of prosperity. About the same proportion (31 per cent) are unhappy about the inaccessibility of many medical services. The sociologists pointed out that in 2007 these problems were on the minds of the same number of respondents approximately (32 per cent on each issue).

The attitude of Russians to corruption and bribe-taking has not changed since 2007. This problem still worries 27 per cent of respondents. At the same time concern about a crisis in the economy has increased from 28 per cent in 2007 to 29 per cent in 2008, whilst alarm about a moral decline in society, on the contrary, has dwindled from 28 to 26 per cent.

A quarter of Russians are worried by rising unemployment, whereas in 2007 this was a concern of 30 per cent of those polled. In connection with this the sociologists added that 12 per cent were unhappy about the increasing number of migrant workers, while in 2007 this problem was important for 9 per cent of Russians. The sociologists said that the country's citizens are less concerned about the weakness of the state authorities (9 per cent), the impossibility of defending their rights in court (7 per cent), the threat of terrorist acts (4 per cent) and nationalistic trends (5 per cent).

Russian people are least concerned about such problems as terrorist acts in Chechnya and North Caucasus (2 per cent), the restriction of civil rights and liberties (2 per cent), and wage payment delays (4 per cent), the poll has shown. Conflicts between different branches of authority worry 2 per cent of the respondent. However, 9 per cent of those polled are alarmed by the increasing arbitrariness of bureaucrats in the country, the sociologists stated.