Poll Shows Nearly Half Say Corruption Cannot Ever Be Defeated In Russia
Interfax - 3.22.12 - JRL 2012-55
Moscow, 22 March: Most Russians polled by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) believe that the level of corruption in Russia is high but the country's leadership does not want to fight it.
In the opinion of 81 per cent of respondents, the level of corruption in the country is high (75 per cent in 2010). Another 11 per cent of Russians regard it as "average", and 2 per cent, as "low".
A third of those polled (33 per cent) in a nationwide survey in March believe that the country's authorities can successfully combat corruption but do not want to do it. Slightly less (30 per cent) believe the opposite: that the authorities want but cannot conquer this evil. Another 16 per cent are pessimistic, saying that "the country's leadership cannot and does not want to successfully combat corruption", while 12 per cent believe that it "wants to and can".
At the same time, 43 per cent of Russians believe corruption cannot be eradicated. "It is our tradition, such is our mentality", "all the authorities are corrupt, combating corruption is not to their advantage", they say. However, 39 per cent of those polled express the opposite opinion. To achieve the aim, they believe it is necessary "to impose tougher sanctions for corruption", "make anticorruption laws harsher" and "replace the authorities and officials".
Answering a question in the poll, 70 per cent of respondents claimed they had never given bribes, while 24 per cent gave the opposite answer. At the same time, 43 per cent of Russians believe that they may give a bribe in some situations, while 39 per cent cannot imagine doing so.
Those who take bribes are deplored by 67 per cent of Russians (and not deplored by 24 per cent). Those who give bribes are deplored by 44 per cent (and not deplored by 45 per cent), the poll showed. (Passage omitted: President Medvedev has chaired a meeting on combating corruption)
Keywords: Russia, Corruption - Russian News - Russia
Moscow, 22 March: Most Russians polled by the Public Opinion Foundation (FOM) believe that the level of corruption in Russia is high but the country's leadership does not want to fight it.
In the opinion of 81 per cent of respondents, the level of corruption in the country is high (75 per cent in 2010). Another 11 per cent of Russians regard it as "average", and 2 per cent, as "low".
A third of those polled (33 per cent) in a nationwide survey in March believe that the country's authorities can successfully combat corruption but do not want to do it. Slightly less (30 per cent) believe the opposite: that the authorities want but cannot conquer this evil. Another 16 per cent are pessimistic, saying that "the country's leadership cannot and does not want to successfully combat corruption", while 12 per cent believe that it "wants to and can".
At the same time, 43 per cent of Russians believe corruption cannot be eradicated. "It is our tradition, such is our mentality", "all the authorities are corrupt, combating corruption is not to their advantage", they say. However, 39 per cent of those polled express the opposite opinion. To achieve the aim, they believe it is necessary "to impose tougher sanctions for corruption", "make anticorruption laws harsher" and "replace the authorities and officials".
Answering a question in the poll, 70 per cent of respondents claimed they had never given bribes, while 24 per cent gave the opposite answer. At the same time, 43 per cent of Russians believe that they may give a bribe in some situations, while 39 per cent cannot imagine doing so.
Those who take bribes are deplored by 67 per cent of Russians (and not deplored by 24 per cent). Those who give bribes are deplored by 44 per cent (and not deplored by 45 per cent), the poll showed. (Passage omitted: President Medvedev has chaired a meeting on combating corruption)