International Relations

In the June survey, among other things Public Opinion Research Centre devoted a few questions to the issue of the so-called Beneš Decrees. In connection with discussions about the Beneš Decrees there have been opinions particularly coming from abroad that those Decrees that form the legal framework for the expulsion, should be cancelled. The first question therefore was to establish opinions of the Czech public as to the further validity of these Decrees.

Traditionally, relations of the Czech Republic with Slovakia (94 %) and Poland (92 % of respondents) are rated as the best. A smaller number of respondents (86 %) described the relations of the CZ and Hungary as being very or quite good. The share of the negative assessment of the Czech-Hungarian relations is however on a similar level as in the case of the above mentioned Slovakia and Poland, which shows there is a relatively large group of respondents (10 %), who could not evaluate relations with Hungary.

More than a half of the citizens (56 %) agree with accepting the Euro as the currency of the Czech Republic, on the other hand one third (35 %) is against. Support for introducing the Euro clearly decreases with older age and lower standards of living. The introduction of the Euro is very often supported by students, but relatively more frequently its introduction is approved by university graduates, managers or highly qualified professional workers and Civic Democratic Party (ODS) supporters.

Three quarters of the Czech population (76%) hold the opinion that in terms of foreign policy the USA accentuates its own power and economic interests; almost two thirds (64%) believe that the USA does not care about what the world community thinks, and two fifths (42%) are of the opinion that the current foreign policy of the USA poses a threat for the world today. The Czech society is also deeply ambivalent about whether the foreign policy of the United States strives for stability and a peaceful world – 47% of citizens think so, while 44% are persuaded to the contrary.

In the May survey of the Public Opinion Research Centre implemented within the project “Our Society 2004”, we asked respondents if they trusted selected international institutions.

From the institutions offered, the United Nations and the European Union were the most trustworthy (both trusted by 64 % of citizens). The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) registered the lowest share of trusting respondents, however more than a half of citizens do not know this institution, or they cannot give their opinions on it.

The absolute majority of the Czech public rejects the deployment of Czech soldiers for combat in Afghanistan, while support for this step was voiced by less than a fifth of respondents (17 %), opinions against were expressed by three quarters (75 %) of citizens. Resentment to sending a Czech special unit to Afghanistan clearly prevails among supporters of all political parties, with the strongest disagreement being voiced by supporters of the KSČM (90 % against, 7 % for), followed by followers of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) (78 % against, 14 % for), Christian Democratic Party- Czechoslovak People’s Party (KDU-ČSL) (73 % against, 23 % for) and ODS (70 % against, 24 % for).

The absolute majority of the Czech public rejects the deployment of Czech soldiers for combat in Afghanistan, while support for this step was voiced by less than a fifth of respondents (17 %), opinions against were expressed by three quarters (75 %) of citizens. Resentment to sending a Czech special unit to Afghanistan clearly prevails among supporters of all political parties, with the strongest disagreement being voiced by supporters of the KSČM (90 % against, 7 % for), followed by followers of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) (78 % against, 14 % for), Christian Democratic Party- Czechoslovak People’s Party (KDU-ČSL) (73 % against, 23 % for) and ODS (70 % against, 24 % for).

At the beginning of December 2003, 57 % of respondents of the “Czech Society” survey said they would participate in elections to the European Parliament. On the basis of these data it would be possible to expect the participation in these elections of about 32 - 36 % of voters. The number of those that stated they would not participate in the elections grew from 16 % in October 2002 to 27 %.

Similarly, as in the previous two years, even this year citizens consider media to be the main guarantor of providing information about the integration of the country in the European Union. They also find the function of the government to be very important. More than two fifths of respondents included elected representatives of both chambers of the Parliament, and also scientific and educational institutions among the most important entities.

After entering the EU, the Czech public expects that changes for the worse in the social and economic sectors are more likely than not. The only exception in the areas monitored in the survey is represented in this aspect by wages, which are more often expected to grow by people (35 %), than to drop (11 %) after entering the EU. The negative expectations clearly dominate in the price area, whether it concerns grocery (82 % anticipate price increases), energy prices (74 %), land (71 %) or public transport (60 %).