Housing and utilities sector and inflation are the most disturbing problems for Russians, both personally and nationally. At the same time, Russians personally are less worried about such crucial issues as corruption and alcohol and drug addiction.

MOSCOW, January 31, 2013. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing the issues that Russians are most worried about, both personally and nationally.

Among personal problems Russians are worried most about the situation in the housing and communal services sector (54%, a year ago – 47%), and inflation low living standards (46% vs. 41% in 2012), and situation in the health care system (43%). More Russians mention pension provision (from 25 to 31%), corruption and bureaucracy (from 24 to 29%), alcohol and drug addiction (from 20 to 29%), state of morality (from 14 to 21%), and ecology (from 11 to 17%). The problems of unemployment (27%), economic situation (15%), and delay in salary payments (9%) are at the same levels.

On a national scale Russians are still worried about the problems in the housing and communal services sector (55%), however less than a year ago (58%). The second position is held by inflation, low living standards (51%, for each), and corruption that was less important for Russians a year ago (48% vs. 51% now). Alcohol and drug addiction is mentioned by 46% of Russians, followed by the situation in the health care system – 40% (a year ago – 49%). The shares of those who think that the most crucial problems for Russia are pension provision and unemployment are 36% (for each group; a year ago – 31 and 41, respectively). Less important are the problems of the situation of youth (29%), state of morality (26%), crime (25%), situation in education (24%), economic situation (23%), influence of oligarchs on the life in the country (21%), ecology (20%), situation in the army (18%), demographic situation (17%), terrorism (14%), and democracy (12%). Least important problem is regarded to be delay in salary payments (8%).

Russians assess personal problems and national problems in a different way. Thus, corruption and bureaucracy are assessed as personal problem by 29%, and as a national problem by 51% of Russians, and drug and alcohol addiction was assessed by 29 and 46% of Russians, respectively.

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on January 12-13, 2013. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

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