Few Moldovans are very positive towards NATO – option poll

Only 1% of Moldova have a very positive attitude towards NATO; 14% - are quite positive; 11% - display a very negative position towards NATO; 11% - are rather negative than positive; 34% - are neutral and the rest – refused to give an answer, according to the findings of a survey carried out by IMAS-INC Chisinau at the initiative of NATO Documentation and Information Center in Moldova. The poll was conducted among 1,112 people from 75 Moldovan populated areas, in the period March 16 – April 3.  

Director of IMAS-INC Chisinau, Doru Petruti said on Thursday at a roundtable focused on Moldova’s security issues that 8% of the respondents think that the relations between the RM and NATO are very good; 22% of people described these relations as quite positive; 5% - think that they are very bad; 12% of those polled said that the relations between Moldova and NATO are quite bad and 17% of respondents are sure that there are no relations between the RM and NATO.    

According to Doru Petruti, Moldova’s security is illusory and the republic will be unable to ensure it in case of an armed conflict or a natural disaster.

“NATO can help us in this respect. Yet, sustainable efforts and big money, as well as an official person that will be in charge of this, is needed to this end. At the same time, Moldovan politicians think that NATO-related topics are not helpful during elections,” he said.

The participants in today’s roundtable said that only a small number of youths favor the idea of Moldova’s accession into NATO. On the other hand, Russian-speaking people, as well as those older than 40 regard very negatively this idea. Moreover, the Moldovan media draws little attention to this topic. Thus, Moldovan people are more receptive towards the information disseminated by the Eastern forces, which are creating a negative image of NATO.     

Infotag’s dossier: A NATO Week is conducted in Moldova on July 9 through 12. Its organizer is the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Chisinau, which is receiving assistance from NATO popular diplomacy units and the Ambassadors of NATO member countries accredited in Moldova. The Week program includes a whole number of various events called to improve the population’s awareness of NATO activities in the world and the Organization’s partnership with Moldova.

Adapted from Infotag