Romanians are not Euro-optimist anymore

The Euro barometer shows that Romanians are not anymore the optimists before the adherence.

The economic crisis and better information have decreased the number of those who think that European Union (UE) goes to the right direction at 46 percent, while, in 2010, 60 percent of Romanians were considering that this was the right direction.

At this chapter, Romania is situated on the 12th place within the Union, which means over the European average of 38 percent.

This is the lowest level of trust in UE registered until now in Romania, where the highest level of trust was before the adherence.

“The trust was almost 85 percent at Romanians, when I permitted myself to make a mistake and say that this was expressing a certain type of euro-ignorance, and now we can say that this is the reverse, probably that this percentage points a better knowledge of the UE problematic”, has explained the head of the CE delegation in Romania, Nicolae Idu, the decrease of Romanians’ trust in UE.

Romanians surf the internet

Regarding the information about community problems, Romanians are under the UE average of 33 percent, with a percentage of 28 points. One of five Romanians considers that it is very well or well informed about the European problems, while three of four Romanians consider that they are not very informed or not at all.

“The percentage is similar with the rest of the Europeans”, showed Alexandru Chivu, the editor of the national rapport.

As the rest of the Europeans, Romanians have as main source of information the TV channels but, while on the second place is press for the rest of the Europeans, for Romanians is situated the internet.

This happens given that, according to statistics, the development and spreading of internet in Romania is much under the medium level of UE.

Romanians’ opinion regarding the way in which mass-media reflects the UE image is close to the rest of the Europeans when it comes to radio, written press and websites. Regarding the television, 63 percent of Romanians and 55 percent of the citizens from the rest of the UE member states consider that it is objective in presenting the European subjects.

Work and education

Although the enthusiasm for Union has decreased, Romanians prove to be more confident than other Europeans regarding the politics and the objectives established within the Europe 2020 strategy and they are very favorable, in percentages of 72 points and 85 points, especially when it comes to local measures, like those for increasing the number of employed young people, the durability of social protection systems and pensions, a better access at the health systems and the quality increasing of education.

People tend to give a greater importance to politics and initiatives which refers to labor market, especially the labor market modernization in order to increase the level of occupying it; they give an importance also to everything regarding the social measures, especially in helping the poor and those who are socially excluded and to the fact that these people should play an active role within the society”, has announced Alexandru Chivu, the editor of the national rapport.

Romanians want a clean environment

In fully debate in Romania about the shale gas exploitation, Euro barometer points out that on the third place regarding Romanians’ preoccupations, after social subjects and work, there is an economy which takes into account the environment protection.

75 percent of Romanians pronounce for an economy that uses fewer natural resources and emits less greenhouse gas.

On the other hand, compared to UE 27 average and even compared to the average of the 12 new member states, Romanians pay a very important attention to circulation liberty, respectively of the right to live, study, work in other UE member states.

This thing happens due to the fact that the migration phenomenon has increased and sources are countries like Romania and targets are, generally, states from West and North of Europe. It is normally that the free circulation be more important for Romanians.

The Euro barometer was done in autumn of last year and has, for Romania, a margin of error of 3 percent minus-plus.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University