site.btaMajority of Bulgarians Disapprove of Istanbul Convention's Ratification - Survey

Sofia, January 30 (BTA) - In its latest survey of the public opinion on current topics, the Barometer Bulgaria pollster found that the majority of Bulgarians disapprove of the Istanbul Convention's possible ratification, want a second gondola lift to be built in the Bansko ski area, and have a positive attitude towards the start of the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency. Low incomes, social matters and bureaucracy are the problems Bulgarian society considers significant, the other main finding from the opinion poll is.

The survey was conducted through phone interviews of 968 adult Bulgarians between January 20 and 24.

Asked about their opinion of the National Assembly ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), sixty-three per cent of respondents said they disapprove of such an action, 9 per cent approve and 8 per cent do not have an opinion.

Fifty-eight per cent of interviewees approve of the Government's decision to allow the construction of a second gondola lift in the Bansko ski area, 6 per cent disapprove and 36 per cent do not have an opinion. According to the pollsters, the high percentage of approval is probably linked not to the gondola lift as an installation but as a symbol of the development of tourism and Bulgarian regions as a whole. For years an increasing discontent has been observed in Bulgarian society over the 'green' limitations hindering economic development, the pollsters comment.

Seventy-three per cent of respondents described their attitude towards the launch of the Bulgarian EU Presidency in early January as positive and 7 per cent as negative. The remaining 20 per cent said they do not have an opinion on the matter.

Asked to list the problems of significance to Bulgarian society, the respondents mentioned: low incomes from wages, pensions and social aid (68 per cent); social matters (61 per cent); bureaucracy/cumbersome administration (58 per cent); health care (51 per cent); corruption (44 per cent); monopolies, high utility bills, bad infrastructure, and demography (30 to 35 per cent).