Montenegrins Trust President and Church, Survey Shows

A new poll conducted by the Center for Democracy and Human Rights, CEDEM, shows that the President, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the education and healthcare systems enjoy most public trust in the country.  

Arodund 50 per cent of respondents voiced confidence in the institution of the President, 55 per cent in the Serbian Orthodox Church and 60 per in the education and healthcare systems.

The results of the survey, released on Monday, showed that trust in the political parties and in the Montenegrin Orthodox Church were lower, at around 23 per cent.

CEDEM researcher Milos Besic said confidence was falling in social and political institutions generally.

Only about 44 per cent of the respondents trusted the government of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic's cabinet, down from 55 per cent in 2010, for example.

"If we compare the level of trust in public institutions with other states in the Balkan region, Montenegro is somewhere in the middle," Besic noted.

The survey also indicates that fewer Montenegrins now support joining the EU. In 2009, 76.1 per cent of Montenegrins reported wanting to join the EU. Today, the figure was down to some 48 per cent.

Support for NATO membership is also in decline. In a survey conducted in February, 38 per cent of Montenegrins said they supported joining NATO. According to the latest opinion poll, only 34 per cent of people support the idea.

Continue reading on: