site.btaIncreased Support for EU Membership, Lack of Trust in Rule of Law, Reports Survey in North Macedonia

In survey conducted by the International Republican Institute in the Republic of North Macedonia on the biggest problems the country is facing, respondents ranked the economic situation (15%), poverty and low living standards, high prices, low pensions, unemployment, emigration of young people, corruption and crime, the general political situation, the rule of law, social care problems, health care and government work as the top issues. The "Bulgarian pressure regarding European integration" was ranked in 13th out of 15, with 2% of the respondents indicating it was the biggest problem and the same percentage - as the second problem in the country.

A total of 66% of the respondents stated they were against the inclusion of Bulgarians in their country’s constitution, 30% support the change in the constitution. The difference in the answers by age group is interesting – 72% from the age group over 56 are against it, while among those surveyed between 18 and 35 years, the percentage of those who are against it is 56%.

Support for the country's EU membership is increasing (79%) compared to the survey conducted in October (73%), with 17 percent against (last year – 24%). Support for the negotiated framework also increased by 3% to 41%, compared to 38% last year> Some 50% of respondents were against this negotiated framework.

Bulgaria was rated as the country least supportive of North Macedonia's European integration (66%), followed by Greece at 29%, and according to the survey, Germany and Croatia provided the most support to North Macedonia on its path to full EU membership.

The politician in whom the citizens have the most trust at the moment is the President Stevo Pendarovski, in whom 12% have full and 26% partial trust, followed by former prime minister Nikola Gruevski, who left the country because of court cases conducted against him in North Macedonia, in whom 11% have complete and 19% partial trust.

When asked which party they would vote for if elections were held next week, the difference between the two largest parties remains – 19% would vote for VMRO-DPMNE, 11% for the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, and support for Democratic Union for Integration increased from 7 to 8% . According to the survey, the popularity of The Left has gone down from 6 to 4%, and the second party in the Albanian bloc is the Alliance for Albanians with 5% support.