logo

Support for EU membership remains high, the Union perceived as the best ally at the expense of Russia

Share on facebook
Share on twitter

prezentacija-https://idscs.org.mk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/project-2.png-kas

The support of the citizens for membership in the European Union remains strong in Macedonia despite the steady trend of slight decline over the years. Nearly three quarters of respondents (73%) in November 2017 said that they support the country’s membership in the Union, which is 4 percentage points less compared to 2016.

Compared to last year, there is a change in the perception of citizens about which country is most influential in Macedonia and which are the countries best external allies. Citizens think that the United States, the EU and Russia have the biggest influence. To a greater extent, the perception of the EU as the best ally has been increased, and the perception for Russia as the best ally decreased.

This is part of the public opinion survey conducted out by the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in November 2017. The survey data was processed in two analyzes presented on Tuesday (27.03.2018) in the EU Info- Center in Skopje:

  • “Analysis of the public opinion about the Macedonian process of accession to the European Union 2014 – 2017” by the author Ivan Damjanovski;
  • ” The European Union on the verge of bouncing back in Macedonia” by the authors Nenad Markovic, Zoran Nechev and Ivan Nikolovski.

Given the high support for EU membership, Damjanovski commented that it was due to three factors. The strongest is the expectation for improving the economic situation after the eventual entry into the Union. Other factors affecting the citizens’ mood for the process are the name dispute with Greece, as well as the relations of the political parties with the EU, which are also reflected in some of their sympathizers perceptions towards the Union. Also, there is an increase in the percentage of citizens who oppose joining the Union regardless of the dispute with Greece.

Nechev comments that the growth of citizens’ perception that the EU is Macedonia’s best foreign ally is due to the EU’s engagement in the reform process, as well as the increased visibility of the Union’s activities in the country. In addition, despite the growth of the EU’s credibility, there is a decline in the perception that Russia is the best foreign ally of Macedonia.

Compared to 2016, when 26% of the citizens thought that the EU was the best foreign ally in 2017, such a perception is shared among 42% of respondents. Russia in 2016 was perceived as the best foreign ally by 25%, and now this impression is shared by 14% of the respondents.

The director of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Macedonia, Johannes Rai, commented that such findings indicate european awareness among the citizens but also that that awareness is not shared by the political parties.

“I am positively surprised by the constant high support of the citizens for European integrations that seem to show real European values. On the other hand, this can not be said for the political actors who in their behavior appear to disregard the European principles, especially if the events in the Assembly (Parliament) are taken into account. Therefore, I think it is particularly important that political parties through a process of joint discussion and debate formulate a consensus on the national interests” says Rai.

The detailed findings from the two analyzes that include citizens’ perceptions according to their party and political sympathies are available on the following links:

Поврзани објави