MOSCOW Sept 5 (Interfax) - The level of Russian citizens' concerns about the economic situation has somewhat decreased, with 68% of respondents now seeing indications of an economic crisis in Russia against 80% in March, the Public Opinion Foundation has reported.
The poll, which surveys 1,500 respondents living in 140 populated areas in 53 regions of Russia, was conducted on August 29-30.
When asked how precisely the crisis is manifested, 40% mentioned increasing prices and inflation, 17% spoke about declining living standards, 12% mentioned the fall and instability of the ruble rate, 11% spoke of unemployment and 7% mentioned the low level of development of industry, agriculture and the general economic decline.
Seventeen percent of respondents said there is no economic crisis.
The poll also showed that 42% of respondents are now interested in following detailed news on the situation in the Russian economy and 54% do so without special attention.
A majority of respondents (53%) believe that the media are not providing full coverage of the economic situation and 41% believe the media coverage of the economic situation is not objective. Twenty-seven percent of respondents said the media are providing full coverage of these issues and 37% believe the media are providing objective coverage of these issues.
Forty-three percent of respondents believe that the economic situation is actually worse than the media report. Thirty-three percent of respondents believe the situation is what the press is reporting and 6% believe the situation is even better.
A different poll conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation, which surveys 3,000 respondents living in 207 populated areas in 73 regions of Russia, shows that 62% of respondents estimate their financial situation as medium and 29% said they estimate it as bad. Seven percent of respondents reported financial wellbeing.
Commenting on their financial situation, ten percent of respondents said they “don’t have enough money for food” and 28% said they have money for food, but not for clothes. A relative majority (41%) said they “have money for clothes, but no money for large household appliances.” Sixteen percent of respondents said they can buy household appliances, but not a car, and 6% can buy a car.
Forty-nine percent of respondents said their financial situation had virtually not changed in the past 2-3 months, 46% said their financial situation had worsened, and only 4% said it had improved. Thirty-four percent of respondents said they do not expect their financial situation to change in the next year, 28% are concerned that it may get worse, and 13% are optimistic and expect improvements.
