The findings of the poll conducted in September by the Armenian representative of the GALLUP International Association was misunderstood in Armenia. Director of Gallup International Association’s Armenian office, Aram Navasardyan, in an interview with Aravot.am, explained that the September polls did not reveal that Armenia should join Russia as some of the mass media report, but the fact that 54.4 percent of respondents answering the question of “which of the given countries it would be easy for Armenia to join” answered, to Russia; 11.1 percent – to the EU and 29.9 percent – none.
Mr. Navasardyan informed that the Armenian society’s expectations from the Russian Federation and European countries are different. For example, they expect primarily support for weapons from Russia in the case of war, and technologies – from the European countries. Armenians have a lot more cultural expectations, for instance, from France, Spain, and Italy than from Russia. In the interview with us, Aram Navasardyan noted that a dynamic decline is observed in the sentiments of the Armenian society to the EaEU, given the findings of their polls. For example, by the poll in May, the number of respondents expressing willingness to join Russia amounted to 58.9 percent, now it is reduced to 54.4 percent. Aram Navasardyan added, “The indicators to join the EaEU in the past four years in the last poll are the minimum. Four years ago, it was 67 percent, then it dropped to 58.9 percent, and now – 54.4 percent.”
We wondered about why this decline can be explained, Mr. Navasardyan replied, “We are a member of the EaEU for a year, but there is still no changes, people want changes right now, thus the expectations are not realized early, people’s positive sentiment is increasingly falling.” To our observation that people are discontent with the EaEU, Mr. Navasardyan responded, “I would not call it a discontent, but not to say that there is a decrease, we cannot.” Note that the EaEU-related polls are conducted every six months, and after September, probably in March, the next poll on this issue will be conducted.
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
