Bureau of Statistical Analysis poll: Ukrainians focus on routine issues: food prices, low wages, social benefits
The Ukrainian public is focusing on major social issues such as food price hikes and increases in housing and utilities rates, as well as low salaries, wages and social benefits. About 40% of those polled believe that these are top-priority issues. The last on the list of the current social issues are the language issue and tobacco smoking - a mere 1% of those polled saw them as matters of importance. The results of the research again showed that the efforts of some nongovernmental organizations to draw special attention to the issue of tobacco smoking are wasted. The National Sociological Poll was conducted by the Bureau of Statistical Analysis in August - September 2011. The opinion of 1,000 respondents aged 18 and older was gauged through a telephone survey. The findings represent national public opinion with an error margin of 3.5-5%. The survey was conducted in the largest cities of Ukraine. According to this survey, the most urgent issues for Ukrainians are economic ones. Consequently, the top of the list is occupied by food price hikes and increases in housing and utilities rates (40%), no less urgent issues for those polled were the low rates of wages and pensions (39%), 35% of those polled emphasized the poor state of the national economy, the 4th and 5th positions were occupied by unemployment and corruption, respectively (31%). Interestingly, the issues of language and tobacco smoking, which are constantly the focus of public activists, are of interest to only 1% of the Ukrainian people. Mariya Chernova, the Head of the Bureau of Statistical Analysis, said: "Subsequent to the results of the research, we can draw the conclusion first of all on the focusing of general government efforts on the solution of economic issues: the curbing of inflation , an increase in wages and pensions, provision of economic growth and creation of jobs and a reduction in corruption – these issues are the most urgent for our society." Volodymyr Demchak, the President of the Ukrainian Commercial and Industrial Confederation, said: "The results of the research clearly show that the exceptional attention to the issue of tobacco smoking is too exaggerated. From 2008 to 2011 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has adopted fourteen laws that additionally regulate the "alcohol and tobacco" industry, and only two laws that concern unemployment! Over the past three years the excise tax rates have been increased seven (seven!) times, making legal tobacco products almost unaffordable for some groups of the population. As a result the sale of counterfeit cigarettes rose and a "green corridor" for cheap smuggled products from Russia and Moldova was opened in Ukraine. Today, according to experts' estimates, the share of illegal tobacco products reaches 15%. At the same time lobbying for new laws goes on, with further declarations of a rise in excise tax rates, limiting the population's access to information about tobacco products as well as limiting the consumption and sale of cigarettes. During the last three years the legal market has been dangerously reduced, but the number of smokers has not declined. It is not referring to the reduction of smoking. Consequently, the smokers choose cheaper smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes instead of legal tobacco products." Mariya Chernova, a sociologist of the Bureau of Statistical Analysis, noted: "Indeed, according to the research, 75% of Ukrainian smokers believe the increase in excise duty on tobacco products will lead to an increase in sales of illegal cigarettes and other tobacco products. Moreover, if cigarettes become more expensive, 37% of domestic smokers will continue to buy cigarettes of their favorite brand. Accordingly, the statement that the tobacco excise increase is an effective anti-smoking measure is wrong. Moreover, 20% of smokers are ready to buy cheaper cigarettes. This clearly confirms the thesis that cheaper counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes will be of great demand among cigarette consumers." Volodymyr Demchak, the President of the Ukrainian Commercial and Industrial Confederation, said: "The investigation proves the real danger of counterfeit goods! Today 80% of the tobacco market consists of cigarettes of the low-cost and medium segments, the consumers are very sensitive to the price increase even within 50 kopecks. Subsequently, we consider it inappropriate to apply common approaches to taxation of premium cigarettes and nonfilter cigarettes, as proposed in several bills, including one by Ivan Kyrylenko. As a confederation that represents the interests of the industry, we stand for the maintenance of the existing tax system and the principle of annual indexation to consumer price level (according to the current Tax Code). Yevhen Korneyev, the Chief of the Free Choice public organization, also commented. "Nowadays the smokers are being constantly interfered with restrictions, prohibitions, and price hikes. We believe the most of them violate human rights and freedoms. We do not condone smoking, but, frankly speaking, the issue concerns completely legal products, the law determines its right of existence. And, I beg your pardon, about nine million Ukrainians consciously smoke. Please, respect our choice and our rights. For example - the bill recently adopted at second reading declares an absolute ban on information concerning products on the pack and distribution network. Why can I, the adult consumer, not obtain information concerning content and quality characteristics of totally legal goods? At least I should know the tar content and information concerning the quality of the tobacco. If such information is not on a pack of cigarettes, how can I make a choice? As for smoking areas, we agree there should be clearly separated areas for tobacco smoking in public places. But now we are talking about a total ban on smoking in public places. Moreover, it is proposed to ban smoking in private cars, on balconies, in a private apartment. And where, I beg your pardon, should I smoke? Go out of the city for a break? Be sincere, the smokers are living people, who have rights and freedoms. I wish to emphasize we do not encourage society to smoke, but we ask to respect our choice, to take a balanced approach to the regulation of the tobacco industry, as well as to secure the rights and freedoms of smokers according to the international regulations and the Constitution of Ukraine." Sociologist Mariya Chernova agrees with the thesis that most of the proposed restrictions do not have empirical evidence. According to the findings of the research, most urban residents more often get information concerning smoking preventions, but not concerning the promotion of tobacco brands. However, the information on content and quality of cigarettes is currently not enough for consumers. Thus 61% of the pollees believe that the information on cigarettes (markings, warning labels, content, etc.) does not affect human desire to give up smoking. Besides, such information does not stimulate the desire to start smoking, because the initial factors of smoking are the influence of friends and the desire to seem older," she comments.. Volodymyr Demchak, the President of the Ukrainian Commercial and Industrial Confederation, said: "There are several summarizing conclusions of the research. First, legislative initiatives concerning the increase in the excise tax rates lead to the growth of the shadow market. This means both a reduction in tax revenues paid to the budget of Ukraine and health risks for smokers from counterfeit products. Secondly, the ban on informing consumers about tobacco products does not affect the number of smokers and gives no results other than the violation of human rights."