site.btaBulgarians Continue to Trust EU after Brexit - Opinion Poll

Bulgarians Continue to Trust EU after Brexit - Opinion Poll

Sofia, July 14 (BTA) - Bulgarians continue to trust the EU despite being slightly hesitant in the last months and despite Brexit, show the results of a regular monthly opinion poll conducted by Gallup International within its Political and Economic Index, the polling agency reported Thursday. If a referendum on Bulgaria's EU membership were held today, this country would remain in the Union, although the declared support would be slightly lower than before, the poll shows.

The survey was conducted among 796 people across Bulgaria between July 1 and 7, days after the UK citizens' decision to leave the EU.

Sixty-one per cent of respondents said they would vote for Bulgaria to remain in the EU if a referendum were held today, as opposed to 20 per cent for leaving the Union and 19 per cent being not sure about their vote.

Gallup International's previous survey on this topic, conducted in early June, revealed that the confidence of Bulgarians in the EU remains high, although it registered lowest levels since Bulgaria became a member in 2007, the agency recalled.

According to the latest data, people with higher education and incomes are more positive towards the EU. Left-wing supporters are traditionally more Eurosceptic but even among them Euroscepticism does not prevail, the survey shows.

Forty-six per cent of respondents do not think the EU will fall apart soon, as opposed to 27 per cent who expect this to happen. The remaining percentage of respondents found it difficult to give a reply.

On the eve of the UK referendum, only 11 per cent of respondents said its result would have an impact on their lives, while 67 per cent were of the opposite opinion. At present, these percentages stand at 51 and 30 per cent, respectively.