BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/03/2006

Russians Support Union with Belarus

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the Russian Federation support forming a new partnership with a neighbouring former Soviet Republic, according to a poll by the Public Opinion Foundation. 66 per cent of respondents would in favour of a Russia-Belarus union in a referendum.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko signed a bilateral treaty in late 1999, where the two nations agreed to eventually merge their tax systems and currencies.

In July 2005, Putin voiced his support for a proposed economic unification of the two nations, saying, "Russia needs the union. We need it in a geopolitical sense and most important of all, we are a single nation on the whole. (...) In a broad sense, we are a single nation and we will only benefit if we unite, having gained advantages in relations with other countries."

In October, a draft version of the proposed Constitutional Act of the Union State of Russia and Belarus was presented. The proposal calls for a 103-member House of Representatives-including 28 lawmakers from Belarus-and a 72-member House of the Union, with equal legislators from the two nations. 35 per cent of respondents believe Russia and Belarus should become a united state, with one president, government, flag and currency.

On Mar. 7 in Minsk, the heads of government of the two countries expressed satisfaction with bilateral relations. Belarusian prime minister Sergey Sidorski declared, "Trade turnover between Russia and Belarus grew by three-fold during ten years of integrated relations." Russian prime minister Mikhail Fradkov declared, "The growth of cooperation in the fuel and energy sector is especially impressive."

Belarus will elect a president on Mar. 19. Lukashenko is eligible for a new five-year term. Opposition candidates and supporters have repeatedly complained about harassment from the authorities, and presidential contender Aleksandr Kozulin was arrested earlier this month for allegedly "pushing a policeman" and "damaging a picture of the president at the police station."

Polling Data

If a referendum on a Russia-Belarus union was held now, would you vote for or against it?

For a union

66%

Against a union

14%

I would not vote

Hard to answer

14%

Which of these unions for a Russia-Belarus union do you prefer?

Russia and Belarus should become a united state, with one president, government, flag and currency

35%

A union of independent states with close political and economic relations

30%

Relations between Russia and Belarus should be similar to those between other CIS states, there should be no special union

16%

Hard to answer

19%

Source: Public Opinion Foundation

Methodology: Interviews with 1,500 Russian adults, conducted on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, 2006. Margin of error is 3.6 per cent.

Source:

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/11149