Approximately two thirds of (66%) of inhabitants older than fifteen consider unemployment in the CR to be too high, approximately one quarter (27%) consider it to be adequate. 56% of respondents presume that in the next two years there will be a small increase in unemployment, 29% of respondents stated that the unemployment levels in the next two years would not change considerably and only 2% contemplate its decrease in the next two years.

In December survey the CVVM SOÚ AV ČR focused (among other issues) also – in connection with the upcoming end of Václav Havel’s constitutional mandate – on the evaluation of the president’s work according to six selected criteria. The number of positive opinions in the case of the president strongly prevailed, in particular in such attributes, where the interviewees evaluated his performance of constitutional functions, maintaining the authority and respectability of the presidential office and above all presentation in abroad.

The intention of the Ministry of Health to introduce uniform prices for the same medicaments in various pharmacies was agreed with by 76 % and disagreed with by 13 % of citizens. 11 % did not have an opinion. Uniform prices of medicaments were more often supported by people over 60 years of age, citizens with secondary education and the population with a poor standard of living. From the point of view of political preferences, these are predominantly supporters of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and Czech Social Democrats.

In late November and early December, 40% of those polled said they were satisfied with the current political situation in the Czech Republic (‘very satisfied’ – 2.4%, ‘quite satisfied’ – 37.5%), whereas 56% were dissatisfied (‘quite dissatisfied’ – 44.6% and ‘very dissatisfied’ – 11.8%) and 4% did not know. The satisfaction with the political situation has been gradually growing since March 2002, and has reached 40% for the first time since 1996.

The health care system in their country is rated best by inhabitants of the CZ with 39 % satisfied and 20 % dissatisfied; 39 % is half-satisfied. Poles and mainly Hungarians are significantly more critical towards their health care system. In Poland there are 26% satisfied, 23 % half-satisfied and almost a half of the population are dissatisfied (47 %). However, greatest reservations are communicated by the Hungarian public that mostly rate the health care system negatively (53 %) and only 15 % favourably.

People put the most trust in those close to them and in themselves. From individuals, who influence the opinions of citizens, teachers and television and radio presenters enjoy the greatest trust. Confidence in public opinion researchers, newspaper journalists and mayors is considerably lower, and it gets even worse for priests. Trust in senators and politicians is very low, when only about every fifth respondent voiced his trust in them.

At the end of November and beginning of December last year, 30 % of respondents described their health condition as being good and 49 % as being quite good. A fifth saw it as bad and one percent as very bad. One third (33 %) of respondents said that they regularly looked after their health, about a half (49 %) sometimes and almost one fifth (18 %) not at all. As disclosed by respondents, they care for their health more often by doing sports, furthermore by staying in the countryside – going for walks and trips, and observing rules of a correct regime of living, or more precisely healthy diet.

In the survey from the end of November and beginning of December 2002, more than two thirds (68%) of respondents describe the standard of living of their household as being good, contrary to this 31% describe it as being bad. In comparison to 2002, this is the most positive recorded result which, however, is not surprising, because the period of the end of November and beginning of December, or more precisely the beginning of December, is the time of year when the subjective evaluations provided by respondents is the best when compared to the long-term cross-section.

At the beginning of next year, it will have been 10 years since Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. In its regular survey ‘Our society 2002’, the Public Opinion Research Centre investigated how this historic move is nowadays viewed. Ten years ago, only a small proportion of citizens (22%) agreed with the move, while the majority (60%) say they were opposed to the break-up and 18% do not remember.

The NATO Summit in Prague became the most significant event in late November and early December, with the election ranking second. These events followed: 2002 floods, end of the presidential mandate of Václav Havel and the planned attack of the USA and Great Britain on Iraq. The accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union topped the limit of monitoring again. We can anticipate that the importance of this event will continue to grow as the referendum on the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union and the accession date are nearing.