One in two Belarusians fear to discuss politics: poll

A public opinion poll conducted by Gallup in the former Soviet republics has revealed that 50 percent of Belarusians fear to discuss politics in public. Estonia (45 percent); Kazakhstan (43 percent); Latvia (42 percent); Russia (40 percent); Ukraine (37 percent); Kyrgistan (33 percent).


Tadjikistan and Armenia have the worst record, with 68 percent fearing to express their political views openly. Moldova (63 percent); Azerbaijan (60 percent); Uzbekistan (57 percent); Lithuania (55 percent); Georgia (54 percent).

Pollsters note that the situation has improved in Kyrgistan and Kazakhstan only. On the opposite, Lithuania and Georgia have seen in 50-percent increase in the number of people fearing to express their political views.

Washington ProFile