83% Belarusians Know Nothing About Eastern Partnership, Public Inquiry

The majority of Belarusians, i.e. about 83 %, heard nothing about the European Neighbourhood Policy and about Eastern Partnership which are directed on cooperation development with the post-Soviet countries. Such conclusions were made following the results of research of efficiency of EU policy to the Eastern Europe countries, made by scientists of Welsh Aberystwyth University (Great Britain).

According to the authors of the project, they used wide range of research methods. "Its one part includes interview with the European officials in Bruxelles and Strasbourg, and also the analysis of the official documents of EU and the published data", the researchers said, TUT.by informs.

"Another includes  public inquiries in Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova and Russia, interviews with the national experts, studying of focus group and school essays in the given countries", the authors of the project said.

The project manager was one of the most authoritative European experts in sphere of EU relations with the countries of Eastern Europe, Belarusian Elena Korosteleva who is a senior lecturer in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University.

So, according to the research data, every fifth Belarusian failed to name EU Member States, every second didn't know the place of EU headquarters. "European Union is associated in Belarus with liberally-democratic values, such as market economy, human rights, democracy and supremacy of law", the authors of research said.

At the same time the researchers notice that Belarusians describe their own country by means of opposite sociocultural values, emphasizing "respect for cultural heritage, tolerance and religion".

Source: Telegraf