You're reading: Poll: Ukrainians trust media more than banks, parties and courts taken together

The church enjoys the biggest trust of Ukrainians among social institutions, and 63.8% of respondents trust it one way or another, according to a survey conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center. 

According to the results of the survey that were released on Monday, 61.9% of Ukrainians trust the media, 22.4% the courts, 20.5% political parties, and 17.3% commercial banks.

In addition, 62.9% of respondents believe that the situation in the country is developing in the wrong direction, while 18.1% think it is developing in the right direction (these figure in December 2012 were 55.5% and 21.5% respectively).

Compared with December 2012, the percentage of those who fully support the Ukrainian president increased from 11.9% to 14.6%, and the percentage of those who do not support him grew from 44.9% to 52.7%.

The level of full support for the activity of the Verkhovna Rada has not changed significantly over this period, while the percentage of those who do not support these activities increased from 47.1% to 54.9%.

The percentage of those who do not support the activity of the government rose from 47.6% to 52.4%, whereas the percentage of those who fully supports the work of the Cabinet of Ministers increased from 5.9% to 8%.

Respondents most often express full support for actions to UDAR Party leader Vitali Klitschko (18.3%), President Viktor Yanukovych (14%), Batkivschyna faction leader Arseniy Yatseniuk (11.8%), former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (11%) and Svoboda Party leader Oleh Tiahnybok (11%).

Leaders in terms of non-support are third Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko (2005-2010) (82.3%), Social Policy Minister Natalia Korolevska (78.9%), former Parliament Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn (74%), Communist Party leader Petro Symonenko (67.5%), and former Social Policy Minister Sergiy Tigipko (64.7%).

When asked about their readiness to participate in protests, 32.7% of respondents said that they would participate in authorized rallies and demonstrations, 16.9% in strikes, 16.7% in unsanctioned rallies and demonstrations, 13.4% in the boycott of decisions by the authorities, 9% in the blocking of traffic, 4.3% in street riots, and 4% in the creation of armed groups independent of the authorities.

The most frequent reasons for participation in protests are “a significant increase in prices for the necessities” (34.4%), “nonpayment of wages” (29%), “protests against large-scale reductions in jobs” (24.5%), “protests against the arbitrariness of local authorities” (23.3%), “low wages” (22.6%), and “the protection of the rights of people whose rights have been violated” (20.9%).

The survey was conducted on March 1-6, 2013 in all regions in Ukraine. A total of 2,010 respondents aged over 18 were interviewed in 132 towns and villages in Ukraine. The poll’s margin of error does not exceed 2.3%.