MOSCOW, August 23, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians estimate the price increase in the country, where they see the reasons for inflation.

The number of Russians, who evaluate the inflation rate as very high, has reduced from 62% to 52% in 2007 if compared to the situation in 2005-2006.  At the same time, the share of those who describe the increase in prices as moderate has grown from 26% to 35%. The number of people characterizing the inflation rate as "negligible" remained practically the same and amounted to 5-8%.

Women evaluate the rates of price increase as very high more often than men (55% and 48%) do.

The share of such estimations grows from 36% in the group of young people of 18-24 years of age to 67% among respondents aged 60 years and older. Respondents falling into the group of 18-24 of age consider inflation to be moderate rather than high (41% against 36%). Equal shares of respondents belonging to the group of 25-34 years perceive the price increase as moderate and as high (42% for each option). Respondents of 35 years of age and older assume that the inflation is more likely to be very high.

The percentage of respondents, who characterize the price increase as very high, has reduced from 65% in the group of respondents with elementary education to 46% in the group of respondents with higher and uncompleted higher education; the share of those, who assume that the inflation rate is moderate, increases simultaneously from 24% to 42%.

Respondents with high estimation of own financial standing identify the rates of price increase to be lower than the rest of the respondents: 40% of respondents with high estimation of own financial standing consider the inflation rates to be very high, whereas 68% of respondents with low estimation of own financial standing do. 44% and 21% identify the level of price increase as moderate and 11% and 6% as negligible.

The opinion that the inflation rate is very high is more characteristic of the KPRF (the Communist Party of the Russian Federation) supporters (70%), than of the voters of "Fair Russia" (56%), LDPR (49%) or "United Russia" (46%).

Respondents see the main reasons for inflation in Russia in the increase in prices for gasoline and the uncultivated economy (10% per each option). Inflation is connected with the idleness and lack of responsibility of the government less often than last year (it used to be 13%, it is 5% now) and with an increase in prices for oil and other energy carriers (11% and 2%). Every second Russian finds it difficult to name the reasons for inflation.

The All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on July 28-29, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.