Compared to the region, Serbian citizens show the highest level of concern about the spread of the corona virus, while they are somewhat less worried about the economic consequences, according to a public opinion poll conducted by the Valicon agency.
Concerns of Serbian citizens about the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, although reduced by as much as 20 percent compared to the end of March, remain the highest in the region at 70 percent, compared to 47 percent in Slovenia, 58 percent in Bosnia and Herzegovina and 62 percent in Croatia.
In contrast, concern for economic consequences, despite growth, is lower only in Serbia – 40 percent, while the economic consequences of the epidemic worry 69 percent of Slovenian citizens, 61 percent of BiH citizens and 59 percent of Croatian citizens.
About 68 percent of respondents express a high degree of concern for their family, followed by health care, present in 41 percent of respondents, and concern for economic consequences is only in third place (40 percent).
Now, preventive measures for the fight against the coronavirus are considered too mild by 18% of the respondents. In the previous period, when these measures were restrictive, 10 percent of respondents considered them too mild at the end of April, and 13 percent at the end of March.
On the other hand, after a significant relaxation of measures and after the informal proclamation of the end of the epidemic by the Crisis Staff, 20 percent of citizens perceive these measures as too strict, which is a drop of 12 percent compared to a significantly restrictive period.
A significant number of those who assess the measures as appropriate to the situation. However, the citizens of Serbia do not have a favorable assessment of the holding of elections and the continuation of election activities, given that the decision on the epidemic is still in force. In two waves of measurements, the largest number of citizens do not agree with the holding of elections on June 21.
In mid-May, 53 percent of citizens expressed their disagreement with the elections, while at the end of May, that number decreased by nine percentage points. 32 percent and 39 percent of citizens agree with the holding of the elections. In both waves of measurements, 15 percent and 17 percent of citizens were without answers.
Slightly more than half, ie 54 percent of the surveyed respondents who are employed, commenting on their current situation at the workplace, said that the situation is more or less the same as before. An interesting fact is that the second largest group consists of 20 percent of those respondents who describe the volume of work as increased compared to the period before the appearance of the corona virus.
All other groups of respondents, which include those who are on forced or regular rest, sick leave or waiting, are below the percentage of 10% individually.
The majority, more precisely 55 percent of the respondents, when asked whether they intended to realize any of the investments, purchases or activities before the proclamation of the coronavirus epidemic, answered in the negative. Opposite them are 45 percent of those who planned to buy or renovate real estate, buy home appliances, furnish the yard or other financial and business investments.
As one of the countries that Serbian citizens most often visit is neighboring Montenegro, respondents were asked to evaluate the decision of the local authorities not to allow Serbian citizens to enter that country, due to, as they say, non-fulfillment of epidemiological criteria. Almost 80 percent of citizens evaluate such a decision as unjustified, and only 21 percent as justified.
Every other respondent, ie 50 percent of them, cites the dislike of the policy of the local authorities towards Serbs as the reason for the unjustification of such a decision, while 15 percent of them justify it by noting that each state is independent in making decisions.
Although the citizens of Serbia are only third in concern about the economic consequences of the epidemic, most of them are not completely satisfied with resolving the problems that have arisen in the economic sector.
Thus, a total of 55 percent of them measure the measures of the Government and the Crisis Staff regarding the prevention of economic consequences of the epidemic on the population and economy as either partially appropriate (47 percent) or inappropriate (nine percent), while 45 percent of citizens assess them as adequate, 021 reports.
