What really matters to Ukrainians?

As you will recall, not long ago I wrote about the need to be somewhat careful when looking at opinion polls.  I wrote it with Ukraine in mind, but it applies to opinion polls in every nation just as equally.

Here is a latest survey of Ukrainian opinion relating to what really matters to Ukrainians by the IRI.

It makes grim reading for the current government, just as equally the opposition, and shows a growing shift away from the EU as far as trade blocks go – just in case the EU is feeling confident Ukrainian public opinion will force Ukraine inch by inch in the direction of the EU, they had better think on!

In fact, for the opposition which champions against the extended presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and the pending Ukrainian language law amongst their ideological  issues and policy clashes with the current authorities, it is particularly grim when looking at just how highly, or indeed perhaps better phrased as just how lowly, these issues rank with the Ukrainian public.

If any political party wants a campaign manifesto and to know what the core issues are, for Ukrainians it is unemployment and corruption.  Right at the bottom of a list of 17 issues comes the RBSF and Ukrainian language.

Why the United Opposition are banging the drum about things the vast majority of Ukrainians don’t care about would seem to be down to the fact that when they were in power they utterly failed to address all the other issues which rank above those on this polling list.  In fact things like corruption (or rather the cost of corruption to the average Ukrainian) rocketed on their watch.  Nobody forgets this, as they were in charge only 2 years ago.

The current government is also failing to make an impression on the major issues, but being the current government, they can’t really duck out of them as the United Opposition seem to be trying to do.

Thus it appears Ukraine will be stuck with the same incompetent faces who simply cannot deal with the issues that matter to Ukrainians no matter who wins the parliamentary elections in October, if track records are anything to go by.

Now there is a mammoth amount that can be said about this poll when interpreting the results, but today, (or yesterday as this post is published the day after it is written as is always the case with this blog), is my good lady’s birthday and I simply don’t have the time to examine the poll properly.  Needless to say I am too busy peeling grapes, insuring a constant supply of Martini and lemonade and acting as butler and waiter for all and sundry who are arriving ad hoc.

Even the bank manager telephoned to wish her a happy birthday!

Thus due to the extraordinary servitude I am undertaking, no detailed look at the opinion poll will come from me.  You clever people don’t need me to do that for you anyway.