RUSSIANS LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH OPTIMISM, BUT CRITICALLY ASSESS THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING








PRAGUE, MARCH 6, 2001. From RIA Novosti Correspondent Viktor Prusakov. Among the people living in Eastern Europe, the Russians have the most optimistic view upon the future, but assess their standard of living more critically than the others do.  This was shown by a poll carried out by the Czech Public Opinion Centre among residents of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Lithuania and Russia.


	As many as 22% of the Russians believe in changes for the better, 15% do not. The residents of Russia have the most critical view upon their standard of living, with only 11% of the population satisfied with it, while 42% consider it to be insufficient.


	Among the East Europeans the residents of the Czech Republic are most satisfied with their standards of life. The poll showed that 29% of the Czech people described their material position as good.


	At the same time, the poll has shown that the residents of Poland and the Czech Republic have proved to be the greatest sceptics with regard to their outlook for the future.  Only 14-16% of the Poles and Czechs believe in a "bright future," while 27%, on the contrary, are apprehensive of their future.


	The most critically inclined towards their country's economy are the residents of Lithuania, 77% of whose inhabitants are dissatisfied with it.  In the Czech Republic this opinion is shared by 49%, and in Russia - by 44% of the population.