Minsk, August 20 (Interfax) - The number of Belarusians supporting the idea of a union between their country and Russia has significantly dropped in the past years, as is seen from public opinion polls.
“Sociological surveys show that 40% of Belarusians are of the view that Belarus and Russia should actively develop a union, compared to 80% of Belarusians supporting a union ten years ago,” Igor Kotlyarov, the director of the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences’ Sociology Institute, said at a news conference in Minsk on Friday.
“Only slightly more than 2% of Belarusians believe Belarus should become part of Russia,” he said.
Slightly more than half of Belarusians – 52% – believe Belarus and Russia should be absolutely independent states and adhere to international treaties, Kotlyarov said.
The popularity of the Belarusian-Russian Union idea has declined because of “gross mistakes made by some leaders, I think primarily Russian ones,” Kotlyarov said.
“This concerns the dairy wars and to some extent the oil wars,” Kotlyarov said. “Some politicians in Russia want to solve their problems, be it personal or corporate ones, at Belarus’s expense and so gain some dividends,” he said.
