OREANDA-NEWS The majority of citizens (89%) are positive towards entrepreneurs in Russia, and only 6% negative, the survey showed "VTSIOM-Sputnik". The study showed a gradual improvement in the attitude of Russians to business since 2009 (then 79% of respondents had a positive attitude to entrepreneurs). The share of those who declared a negative attitude decreased — in 2009 it was 13%.

But the majority of respondents — 62% — do not believe that it is possible to conduct honest business in Russia, 34% of respondents hold the opposite opinion. Since 2007, the Russians have become more optimistic: then these figures were 69 and 21%, respectively.

The main obstacles to starting a business survey participants called high taxes, bureaucracy and total financial costs. Corruption, administrative barriers and lack of support from the authorities were also mentioned among the problems.

The survey of VTSIOM showed a change in entrepreneurial activity: in 1991, only 2% of respondents had their own business, in 2013 — 5%, the latest study showed that the figure rose to 10%. A quarter of respondents want to start their own business now. Over the past two years, the indicator has slightly increased, but previously it was much more, for example, in 2016 it was 34%. Most often, people aged 45-59, respondents with higher education, as well as residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg stated their desire to have their own business.

Valery Fyodorov, CEO of VTSIOM, noted that "a particularly positive trend characterizes the attitude of Russians to small and medium-sized businesses."

"Probably, hopes for the help and support of the State in the current conditions are so weakened that the development of entrepreneurship is not seen as a fantastic way to improve the economic situation in the country," he added.

The survey "VTSIOM-Sputnik" was conducted on February 16, 2019 among 1600 adult Russians in the format of a telephone interview. According to the survey, only 13% of respondents have ever had their own business.