Democracy, Civic Society

In October CVVM SOÚ AV ČR made a survey on the attitudes of Czech citizens to day 17 November and public opinions on social conditions nowadays and before 1989.

More than a half of respondents commemorate national holiday on 17 November but they do not celebrante it. A third of Czech citizens admit they do not usually know about the feast and they do not commemorate it. Only 6,3 % of respondents say that 17 November is a day to be celebrated and they also celebrate this day: 1,1 % of people celebrate this day with their family, 1,3 % with friends and 1,6 % take part in social gatherings and 2,3 % celebrate this feast in another way.

When judging development of situation in some areas in last year Czech society take the most critical attitude to problems of corruption, economic criminality, ordinary criminality and unemployment. Critical opinions prevail positive ones in case development of social securities, health service, agriculture, political situation in Czech Republic, immigration, judiciary, legal system, public administration, transport services, living standard and possibility of public participation on decision-making on public affairs.

In June survey CVVM found out that czech citizens mostly discuss about political topics with their family members and friends. Then respondents expressed their idea of influencies upon decisions of politicians. According to respondents bribes and corruption mainly influence decisions of politicians and lobbists influence them as well. The citizens are supposed to have the least influence upon decisions of politicians.

According to March survey CVVM interrogated citizens about their involvement in sport activities, civil affinity group next to their home (Almost a third of citizens sometimes join in these activities). A fifth of repondents stated they sometimes involve in the activity, that was started by a charity organization or by a foundation. 18% of respondents participate in municipal government and 12 % in professional associations.

The most of repondents (38%) expressed their opinion, that the current political conditions are almost same as political conditions before a year 1989. Approximatelly a third of respondents think that curent political conditions are better than political conditions before a year 1989.On contrary a fifth of respondents believe that political conditions before a year 1989 were better than those in present.

The Czech public evaluated development of environmental care most positively, when 37% of respondents thought the situation has improved in this area as opposed to 8 % of respondents who believed to the contrary and 49 % said there was no change in this area.

People are more satisfied than dissatisfied with foreign politics(19% : 14%) .The positive and negative opinions on the situation in area of the protection of human rights were almost balanced .

Czech citizens answered following question in December 2004. „Do you think that situation of some monitored areas (in Czech Republic) became better, worsened or remained unchanged.“According to respondents the situation in most of monitored areas remained almost unchanged.Czech citizens positively evaluate development in area of supply of goods and service, when 58 % of respondents judge it positively.

The Czech public takes rather a critical view of the last year’s development in all of the monitored areas, except the environmental care where 38% of those polled thought the situation was improving as opposed to 10% of respondents who believed to the contrary. The worst results were achieved in the labour policy where almost four out of five polled persons stated that the situation was deteriorating.

In its March poll, the Centre for the Research of Public Opinion focused, inter alia, on the evaluation of local living conditions. The first question examined the overall satisfaction with life in the place of residence. The results show that 67% of respondents were satisfied with life in the place of residence, while almost a fifth (24%) opted for the answer ‘neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied’ and 9% were dissatisfied.

In January 2004, all respondents were asked the following question: ‘Do you think that during last year the following areas improved, deteriorated or remained unchanged in the Czech Republic?’ The respondents are of the opinion that no major changes occurred in most of the monitored areas. The absolute majority of those polled did not register any change in respect of the observance of human rights, the possibility of citizens to participate in the decision-making process about public affairs, culture, political situation in the Czech Republic and our relations with foreign countries.