The opinions of Russians about the economic potential of Crimea and Sevastopol have divided evenly but most believe that the new constituent territories should get an equal share of financial support, sociologists said.
Some 45% of Russians think Crimea and Sevastopol can be
self-sufficient, and 44% argue they will need subsidies and will be
unable to stand alone, without support from the federal center, the
Russian Public Opinion Study Center (VTsIOM) told Interfax on Monday.
Two-thirds of Russians (63%) insist that Crimea and Sevastopol should
have their fair share of support from the federal budget, same as
Russian regions with similar socioeconomic conditions.
About a quarter of the respondents (23%) proposed to give bigger
financial support to the new constituent territories than to other
regions of Russia and only 8% opined that Crimea and Sevastopol should
be denied any financial support.
Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents seem to be more categorical:
only 29% of them see Crimea and Sevastopol as economically developed
regions and 58% claim they will have to be subsidized. People in Moscow
and St. Petersburg are more inclined toward financial support for the
two constituent territories than people in Russia as a whole (36%).
Forty-two percent of the respondents called an increase of pensions
paid in Crimea and Sevastopol to the Russian average a priority, and 27%
called for raising salaries of public-sector employees in those
regions. The construction of bridges to Crimea across the Kerch Strait
is an important task, in the opinion of 29% of Russians. Twenty percent
stand for modernization of water mains and electric power grids, which
will make Crimea and Sevastopol independent from Ukraine. Seventeen
percent suggest opening a special economic zone with preferential terms,
and 16% call for support for farmers. Thirteen percent say the air fare
to Crimea should be reduced with budget subsidies.
VTsIOM polled 1,600 respondents in 130 populated areas in 42 regions on April 5-6.
