Business people, farmers, brain drain: youth decide

39 per cent of Belarusians would not hesitate to send their children and grandchildren abroad for studies, the sociological survey carried out by Zerkalo-Info against Belsat’s order.

About 30 % of respondents were hazy about education in foreign countries but still leave the possibility open. Only 9 % of citizens would like their offsprings to study in Belarus; 14 % would rather their children were not educated abroad.

What professions do you like best?

27 % of respondents want the future of businessmen or farmers for their children. Other 27% prefer professions of engineers, lecturers and skilled workers. 22 % of those asked dropped the handkerchief to creative professionals (artists, journalists, etc). 13 % of the parents canvassed dream of their kids becoming civil servants (federal officers, policemen, servicemen, etc). 2 % are going to let a child make their own choice or gave answers like "I would like my kid to become a good man".

On "money earned by the sweat of one's brow"

Up to 38 % of Belarusians said that there is no need of commanding the services of banks because they have nothing to deposit there. Only 15 % of respondents trust Belarusian banks; 12 % of respondents are apprehensive about keeping money there. 25 % more likely place credit in banks, 37 % more likely do not.

On government property

72 % of interviewees expressed confidence that Belarusian enterprises should be state-owned; the rest of respondents believe that assets should be sold to Belarusian and European investors (22 % and 21 % respectively). 17 % of them vote for Belarusian plants being bought by Russia while 4 % consider China as a perpective purchaser.

Law and courts

The majority of those asked feel suspicious of Belarusian courts: 17 % fall short of hope on a fair trial, 32 % of respondents are also inclined to mistrust the fairness of Belarusian courts. Only every tenth person would come up for trial with clear conscience and in the full conviction in its fairness. 25 % more likely believe in Belarusian courts’ conducting fair trials.

Corrupt practices

11 % of interviewees regard the state system of Belarus as "extremely corrupted". 23 % believe that corruption rates are rather high; 27 % of respondents found it to be on average level. 20 % have no idea of corruption in Belarus.

*The sociological survey was carried out in the period of March 29 – April 17, 2013 by Zerkalo-Info, an independent centre for sociological surveys. The size of the sample was 3000 residents of Belarus aged from 18 years of age and older. The statistical discrepancy does not exceed 0.6 %