Armenians Disappointed with Situation

July 11, 2006
Angus Reid

- Many residents of Armenia are dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, according to a poll by Baltic Surveys released by the International Republican Institute. 55 per cent of respondents believe things in the country are headed in the wrong direction.

The Republic of Armenia declared it independence at the end of World War I, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Armenia regained its sovereignty in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Armenian president Robert Kocharyan was re-elected to a new four-year term in March 2003 in a ballot marred by fraud allegations. In November, voters overwhelmingly approved a series of constitutional amendments, which limit presidential powers.

Earlier this month, Kocharian expressed satisfaction with the changes, saying, "They open new prospects for the comprehensive development of our country and people, ensure more balance activities of various branches of government, and boost respect for human rights."

In March, Armenia’s unemployment level dropped to 7.6 per cent.

Polling Data

Do you think things in Armenia are going in the...

Right direction
32%

Wrong direction
55%

Not sure / No answer
13%

Source: Baltic Surveys / International Republican Institute
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,200 Armenian adults, conducted from Apr. 30 to May 8, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Complete Poll (PDF)

Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.