Economical

In January 2010 Public Opinion Research Centre carried out a survey about debts and loans. In this press release are published attitudes of Czech citizens to individual debts, e.g. acceptability of loans for real estate, education, consumption, car, holidays or for starting a business. Another question was focused on importance of financial resources for unexpected expenses. Along with attitudes there were also questions concerning the indebtedness of households, in other words behaviour of population.

In December 2009 CVVM investigated, how Czech citizens evaluate material living conditions of their households and economic situation in our country. Survey on this theme was also carried out in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.

The current economic level of the Czech Republic is seen rather negative (64 %) than positive (34 %). In comparison to other nine countries included in the survey, the Czech Republic took the sixth place behind Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland. Compared to the previous survey from January 2009 the evaluation of the economic level of the Czech Republic as well as of most of other countries included in the survey has got significantky worse.

In January 2010, the participants in the research of the Center for Public Opinion Research commented on the phenomenon of borrowing money, in other words, to live on credit.

Within continuous project Czech Society, which implements the Center for Public Opinion Research, were in January this year presented to the respondents questions about the economic situation in the Czech Republic.

Part of the economic block of the January survey of the Center for Public Opinion Research was the question of detecting the material living conditions in Czech households.

According to December survey 75 % of Czechs think that economic situation of the Czech Republic became worse in 2009. 38 % of Czechs see as worsened living material conditions of their households. Two thirds of respondents feel that financial crisis afflicted their household and similar share see as affected their job as well. 50 % see the reaction of Czech government to present situation as bad, 33 % expressed opposite view.

In November 2009, Public Opinion Research Centre enquired about spending on social policy. Czechs should express their view about government spending on unemployment, housing, health care, child allowances, retirement pensions, disability benefits, schools and education. Another question was focused on pensions reform.

In November 2009, Czech population was asked some questions about the family policy. First, there was a general question to what extent the government cares about families with small children. Second, people should say, which of the family policy instruments they appreciate. In fact, all instruments were supported, but most of the people agreed with flexible working time or part-time jobs for parents of small children, with tax cut for these people and the increasing number of kindergartens.

In November 2009, Public Opinion Research Centre's survey focused on social policy. People were asked, how much they think the government cares about the social situation of citizens, and how much the citizens care about it themselves. Czechs also should express their view about misusing of social security system in Czech Republic.