The introduction of COVID-19 vaccination passports in Ukraine is supported by just over a quarter (27%) of citizens, and not supported by a third (34%), according to a survey by Research & Branding Group conducted on April 23-30.
At the same time, another 30% of the country’s residents are indifferent to the introduction of “vaccination passports” and 9% have not decided.
The highest level of support for the introduction of a “vaccination passport” is noted among residents of the western region and young people under 30, and the lowest – among residents of the southern region and the age group over 60, among whom are most of those who are indifferent to the issue.
At the same time, 44% of Ukrainians consider the use of a “vaccination passport” for travel abroad justified, while 4% and 3% of respondents consider the use of a “vaccination passport” for public events and trips in Ukraine justified, respectively. At the same time, 16% of Ukrainians justify the use of a “vaccination passport” in all aspects of everyday life, and 3% consider it completely unnecessary.
Most of those who consider it justified to use a “vaccination passport” primarily for foreign travel are among residents of regional centers, and least of all – among representatives of the age of 60 and over and rural residents. In comparison, residents of the eastern region are more likely to consider the “vaccination passport” for travel across Ukraine to be justified. The majority of 50-year-old Ukrainians advocate the use of the “vaccination passport” in all aspects of everyday life.
The survey was conducted by the method of personal formalized interview (face-to-face) among 1,804 respondents over 18 years old in all regions controlled by the government. The sample represents the population of Ukraine by gender, age, type of settlement and region of residence. The maximum error does not exceed 2.4%.
NUMBER OF REGISTERED UNEMPLOYED IN UKRAINE IN 2018-2021
Current President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky would receive the most support in the presidential elections if they were held in the near future. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center.
So, among those who plan to take part in the elections and have decided on a candidate, 28% of those polled are ready to vote for Zelensky in the first round of elections (20% among all respondents). Fifth President of Ukraine, leader of the European Solidarity Party Petro Poroshenko is in the second place with the support of 18% of respondents (12.5% of all respondents), leader of the Opposition Platform – For Life Party Yuriy Boiko is in the third place with the support of 14.5% and 11% of respondents, respectively.
Leader of the All-Ukrainian association Batkivschyna Yulia Tymoshenko would be supported by 10.5% among those who made their choice and 8% among all respondents, leader of the Strength and Honor party Ihor Smeshko is supported by 6% and 4%, respectively.
Some 3% of determined respondents (2% among all respondents) would vote for leader of the Ukrainian Strategy of Volodymyr Groisman party, and 3% (2% among all respondents) would choose leader of the Radical Party Oleh Liashko.
A total of 2% of those who decided on the choice and 2% of all respondents are ready to vote for chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov; also 2% and 2% respectively would choose leader of the Civil Position party Anatoliy Hrytsenko; some 2% and 1% of respondents respectively would vote for representative of the All-Ukrainian Association Svoboda Ruslan Koshulynsky. Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko is supported by 1% among those who made their choice and 1% among all respondents.
If Zelensky and Poroshenko entered the second round, the current president would receive 60.5% of the votes of those who will take part in the elections and have decided on a candidate (32% among all respondents). Some 39.5% (20% of all respondents) are ready to vote for Poroshenko in the second round.
If Zelensky and Boiko entered the second round, 71% would vote for Zelensky among those who made their choice (36% among all respondents), some 29% and 15.5%, respectively, would vote for Boiko.
The study was conducted from April 22 to 29, 2021 using a face-to-face interview method at the place of residence of the respondents. A totral of 2,021 respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of Crimea and the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, according to a sample representing the adult population in terms of basic socio-demographic indicators. The theoretical sampling error (excluding the design effect) does not exceed 2.3% with a probability of 0.95.
PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY, PRESIDENTIAL RATING
Ukraine expects the European Union to revise its Neighborhood Policy, and that this revision will affect all the countries of Eastern Europe, said Olha Stefanyshyna, Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.
“We expect that in 2022 the European Union will start revising the Neighborhood Policy, and this revision will affect all Eastern European countries; that a specific new format of cooperation will be developed for Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, countries aspiring to membership [in the EU]. And we expect that by 2027, when Lithuania assumes the presidency of the EU Council, it will be possible to come up with specific political decisions,” she said during an online discussion of Kyiv Forum, founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation entitled “Discover Ukraine.”
Stefanyshyna noted that Ukraine positively assesses the current situation of relations with the EU. “At the same time, we believe that the time has come to start revising the Neighborhood Policy. We hope that this work will begin in 2022. And I know that many in European capitals are ready to join this work, and Ukraine will be able to get the prospect of membership [in EU],” she stressed.
At the same time, she noted that “there is really fatigue from expansion, and we feel it in our capitals.”
Ukrainian metallurgical enterprises in January-April this year have increased the production of general rolled products, according to operational data, by 7.4% compared to the same period last year – up to 6.414 million tonnes.
In the first four months of the year steel production has increased by 7.2% – up to 7.138 million tonnes, pig iron – by 9.1% – up to 7.075 million tonnes, the association Ukrmetalurgprom said on Thursday.
In April, 1.680 million tonnes of rolled products, 1.847 million tonnes of steel, 1.762 million tonnes of pig iron were produced, while in the previous month – 1.575 million tonnes of rolled products, 1.779 million tonnes of steel, and 1.805 million tonnes of pig iron.
The U.S. engineering, construction and design company Bechtel Corporation is interested in entering the Ukrainian market for the construction of roads and other more complex infrastructure facilities, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said.
“I had the honor to speak at the Ukraine Invest round table on the importance of Ukraine’s active competition for investments, attracting U.S. investors to Ukraine and common American-Ukrainian projects in important industries for us, where out team immediately held a meeting with Stuart Jones, President of Regional and Corporate Relations of Bechtel Corporation, the U.S. engineering/construction/design company with revenues of $17.6 billion that implements infrastructure projects around the world and has an interest in entering the Ukrainian market for the construction of roads and other more complex infrastructure facilities,” Markarova wrote on Facebook on Friday.
She assured that the Ukrainian Embassy in the United States will actively work with Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Office, Ukravtodor and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, as well as IFIs and U.S. financial institutions, in order to turn this interest into new projects, investments and jobs for Ukraine.
