Most Bulgarians believe that the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was directly caused by the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a national opinion poll released Wednesday by Bulgarian consultancy Alpha Research. I believe that this has led to an increase in negative perceptions of Russia.
According to a new poll, 58% of Bulgarians believe that the actions of Russian strongmen led to the physical elimination of Putin’s last remaining main opposition. This trend is seen among voters other than those who support Russia. Most in the radical pro-Russian Vazradhdan party do not believe the Kremlin is responsible for Navalny’s death.
At the same time, 20% of Bulgarians said they did not believe Putin caused Navalny’s death, and 22% were unsure.
Respondents were also asked about Russia’s upcoming elections, with a majority (55%) saying they were neither fair nor free. Again, no such majority existed among Navalny’s voters. 18% believe the election was fair, but 27% remain unsure.
According to the survey, the war in Ukraine remains a frequently discussed topic among Bulgarians, with almost two-thirds saying they have discussed the war with loved ones in recent weeks.
Russian aggression is also a reason for serious concern for the majority of Bulgarians (58%), who fear that attempts are being made to undermine the EU and NATO, to which Bulgaria is a member. are doing.
Attitudes toward Putin’s government, already largely negative since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, have worsened following Navalny’s death, with polls showing 62% of respondents disapprove of Putin and favor him. It was shown that only 20% of people are looking at it.
“Even though there have been political scandals and crises in Bulgaria, events related to Russian rule help us realize that Bulgaria has come a long civilized path in parliamentary democracy,” Alpha said.・Research commented.
“Our membership in the EU and NATO is a prerequisite for economic prosperity, shared values and security,” the pollster added.
According to various opinion polls, about 30% of Bulgarians currently sympathize with Russia, but before the war, President Putin’s approval rating exceeded 60%.
The war in Ukraine has sharply polarized public opinion in the country, making it particularly vulnerable to Russian disinformation campaigns on social media.
(Klassen Nikolov | Euractiv.bg)
