OREANDA-NEWS. May 23, 2011. Even though in the newest release of "DnB NORD Latvian barometer" people once more have displayed slightly higher degree of dissatisfaction with the government's performance than before, considering that the country's economic wellbeing is jeopardized by poor state administration, at the same time respondents nevertheless relay on the fact that the government will be the force to facilitate the state development in the future, reported the press-centre of DnB NORD Banka. 

Answers to the regular monthly questions apparently indicate that the public sentiments in March have aggravated as compared to February. More infrequently the respondents tend to share the belief that the state development proceeds in the right direction (in February - 12%, in March - 10%); however, by one per cent point has dropped the proportion of those who consider the course of development wrong – 76% in February, and 75% in March.

When asked to assess the current situation in the Latvian economy, 84% of the respondents describe it as generally poor, which is by one per cent point less then in February when such opinion was shared by 85% of respondents. That said, it should be noted that the respondents tend to display more critical attitude towards the direction of changes in the state economy, as 50% of the respondents are of opinion that the situation deteriorates (in February - 49%); just 7% of the respondents admit improvements (in February - 8%), whereas the opinion that the economic situation will be aggravated in a year is advocated by 42% of the residents (in February - 40%).

Both in February and March 53% of the residents approached by "DnB NORD Latvian barometer" admitted that financial situation within their families has not materially changed and can be described as poor. No changes were observed also among the respondents who consider their financial situation either average (41%) or good (5%).

By one per cent point has dropped the number of residents who consider the chances to find good employment in Latvia close to zero – in March such opinion was offered by 83%, in February – by 84% of the respondents. At the same time by one per cent point (in February - 1%, in March - 2%) has grown the number of those who reckon the chances to find a good employment pretty fair.

The last of the proposed indicators concerned the government's performance. Here the assessment remains utterly critical, as 88% of the respondents are dissatisfied with the achievements. The number of respondents whose assessment of the government's performance is positive remains unchanged from February through March - such opinion is shared by 11% of all respondents.

When asked to comment on the monthly results, the Social and Political Project Director of SKDS Market and Public Opinion Research Center Ieva Strode says: "Even if there are some positive trends in the Latvian economy, people have missed them or their positive consequences, as either they are too minor and failing to affect crucial departments, or negative things prevail over positive ones. Of course, we can not exclude the possibility that critical sentiments have affected public perception, since people expect bad things and therefore note them more frequently."

In turn, in the second part of "DnB NORD Latvian barometer" people this time were asked to share their opinion on the factors underlying their individual welfare and that of the state in general. The majority of respondents admit that their welfare - both on individual and the family scale - is currently inadequate. However, close to one third or 28% of the respondents are satisfied with their living conditions and equally high is the number of the respondents believing that the situation will improve within the next 10 years. That said, the majority of the respondents nevertheless admit that they are unable to give any future forecasts and therefore 36% of them were at a loss for assessment of any prospective changes in the welfare situation within the next 10 years.

When asked to appraise their individual wellbeing in comparison with the living standard of the residents of other countries the respondents have indicated that it most of all resembles to that of the CIS countries (17%) or African countries (17%). According to the people, the overall welfare level in Latvia is also consistent. 14% of all respondents admit that their living conditions are very much like those prevailing in the Eastern Europe (14%), whereas one fourth of all respondents apparently were unable to make an appropriate comparison. Besides, even though the welfare in Latvia among 110 world countries according to internationally recognized standards is ranked as high as the number 47, the respondents have underestimated this value, as 49% of them consider that Latvia might be ranked 85th, whereas the average ratio is 81st position.
Trying to assess the factors that constitute a menace to the state's economical welfare the respondents of "DnB NORD Latvian barometer" as number one threat convincingly named depletion of ranks of able-bodied population (72%); as material factors, however, are considered also poor state administration (62%), lack of target-oriented state development strategy (46%) and untoward business environment (44%).

At the same time people rely on the government decisions as the most important factor to contribute to the growth of the state welfare over the next five years (64%). Mere 17% of all respondents reckon that the state economy should expect principal help from the entrepreneurs, whereas even less share of the population (10%) admit that the state welfare depend on their own activities. 

"The study reveals the need for public discussions on the roles of the state (public administration) and the individual. From the structural point of view Latvia has accepted market economy, whereas the consciousness of the general public unfortunately still dwells on the socialism, where the role of the state was domineering, as the state took care, protected and generated workplaces," says the Director of Latvian Association of Samaritans Andris Berzins.

According to experts, unsettling are also the respondents' answers to the question what would be their advice to their peers in a situation when the latter face the choice between two options: either to acquire good education entailing the outlook to get better qualified job in the future or to work and earn right now. The social security expert of the Latvian Employers' Confederation Peteris Leiskalns indicates: "Of particular concern is the fact that such would be the recommendation to other individuals, which imply that we still are at that level of the Maslow's pyramid where the actual survival prevails.  Anyway, it should be stressed that a downturn period is the best time for learning to develop a successful career afterwards."

Similar trends appear in the respondents' opinions on the subject whether it is worth to be more frugal today on account of the future growth. Even though we frequently hear that the people must hold together and be ready to temporarily accept governmental decisions that by causing certain difficulties on the present day at the same time let us hope to the faster growth in the nearest future, three thirds (75%) of the respondents are antagonists to such decisions and object to sacrificing material welfare of their own or their family for the state. Mere 15% of all respondents are ready to contribute to the state development this way.

The expert in economics of DnB NORD Banka Peteris Strautins sums up the results of the study: "The study enables unexpectedly profound insight into the way of thinking that is domineering in our society, which is not too optimistic in terms of further development outlooks. If people do not believe in their ability to shape their own fate, it is enough to feel pessimistic. If anybody positions themselves as the victim of circumstances, their prevailing sentiments - I am weak, I suffer hardship, I have no luck, etc. - sooner or later will come true. Such individual also shifts their inner dissatisfaction to the state image by finding a culprit and thus justifying tax dodges and other "solutions". Undeniably, there have been objective circumstances to give rise to such attitudes, yet their contribution to solving the underlying problem is zero." 

"DnB NORD Latvian barometer" has become renowned monthly sociologic study in the country and appears on monthly basis. It focuses on the hottest issues of the given period; yet at the same time to the general public every time is addressed the list of regular questions that month by month indicate changes in the public sentiments.