MOSCOW, 11 July 2023. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a monitoring survey on the implementation of national development goals.

Economy first

Most of the respondents still consider that the most important national goal out of the five national ones is decent and effective work and successful entrepreneurship (importance index average – 84.4 p.). This is followed by the following goals: comfort and safe environment (83.2 p.), opportunities for self-fulfillment and talent development (82.7 p.), maintaining the population and human health and wellbeing (80.6 p.). As in the previous surveys, digital transformation is the least important priority for the Russians (76.1 p.).

Over the recent two years the Russian priorities have not changed. To compare: in June 2021 the Russians considered comfort and safe environment as the most important goal (83.0 p.) followed by decent and effective work, successful entrepreneurship (81.6 p.), opportunities for self-fulfillment and talent development (80.3 p.) and others.

As to specific tracks within the national goals, the following five are the most important ones according to the respondents (importance index in descending order **):

• Increasing people’s income including pensions (95.1 p.);
• Enhancing the quality of general education (92.5 p.);
• Revealing, supporting and developing child and youth talents and skills (91.7 p.);
• Decreasing environmental emission (91.1 p.);
• Maintaining stable economic growth rate domestically (90.2 p.).

Below are the top five tracks that have been increasingly seen as the most important ones by the respondents over the recent months. The authorities’ performance in two of these tracks is considered effective by the respondents.

• Improving the quality of urban environment (+1.4 p. compared to the previous wave);
• Opportunity to provide housing conditions (+1.3 p.).
• Improving accessibility of cultural activities, including in digital format (+1.0 p.).
• Growth in exports of the Russian goods (+0.7 p.).
• Conditions for personal upbringing based on historic and national cultural traditions (+0.5 p.).

Effectiveness of the implementation of national goals

The Russians consider that the authorities’ efforts in achieving four out of five national goals are effective. Digital transformation has been the most effective national goal over the entire period of measurement, with average index of positive changes*** of 49.5 p. out of 100 possible (49.9 p. in April 2023). Today increasing the availability of electronic services holds the first position among all the national goals (index**** 64.4 p.); increasing the opportunities for remote interaction with state bodies is ranked fourth (57.5 p.).

Digital transformation is followed by opportunities for self-fulfillment and talent development (45.2 p., +3.2 p. compared to April data). Most of the Russians see positive changes over the latest two months in efforts towards comfort and safe living environment: the percentage has grown by 4.9 p. over this period (37.9 p.  in June 2023). As to the two remaining goals, despite slightly positive dynamics the Russians see least progress in decent and effective work and successful entrepreneurship (31.8 p., 30.8 p. in April 2023) and maintaining the population and human health and well-being (31.6 p.,31.5 p. in April 2023).

More respondents notice efforts towards solving environmental issues and area improvement. The following seven areas show the highest increase in the index of positive changes****:

• improving the quality of road network in large cities (+12.3 p. compared to the previous wave);
• improving the quality of urban environment (+10.7 p.);
• recovery of water reservoirs, including the Volga River, Lake Baikal, and Lake Teletskoye (+6.5 p.);
• conditions for personal upbringing based on historic and national cultural traditions (+6.1 p.);
• waste sorting to cut the number of landfills (+5.9 p.);
• increasing the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (+5.7 p.);
• making cultural activities more available, including in digital format (+5.0 p.).

VCIOM Russian nationwide survey was conducted 14-17 June, 2023. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18 and over took part in the survey. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

* Complex indicator: sum of final indices for each track within the five goals divided by the number of indicators under assessment.  Index of importance for each track is calculated using the formula:  the final % of answers is multiplied by the corresponding weight: “very important” — 1, “likely important” — 0.75, “likely unimportant” — 0.25, “not at all important” — 0, “don’t know — 0.5. Index can vary between 0 and 100 points. The higher the index, the more important the indicator. Applying indices simplifies perception and tracking of indicators in dynamics.

**Index of importance for each track is calculated using the formula:  the % of answers to the question “How is it important for you and your family?”  is multiplied by the corresponding weight: “very important” — 1, “likely important” — 0.75, “likely unimportant” — 0.25, “not at all important” — 0, “don’t know — 0.5. Index can vary between 0 and 100 points. The higher the index, the more important the indicator. Applying indices simplifies perception and tracking of indicators in dynamics.

*** Complex indicator: sum of final indices for each track within the five goals divided by the number of indicators under assessment.  Index of positive changes for each track is calculated using the formula:  the final % of answers is multiplied by the corresponding weight: “Yes, I noticed” — 1, “No, I didn’t notice” –0;  “undecided”  - 0.5. Index can vary between 0 and 100 points. The higher the index, the higher the assessment of positive changes for a particular indicator.

**** Index of positive changes for each track is calculated using the formula:  the % of answers to the question “Over the recent 12 months have you noticed any positive changes in the work of the authorities in the following areas?”  is multiplied by the corresponding weight: “Yes, I noticed” — 1, “No, I didn’t notice” — 0, “Don’t know” — 0.5. Index can vary between 0 and 100 points. The higher the index, the better the assessment of positive changes for a particular indicator.