46% of Serbians now support membership in EU

46% of Serbians now support membership in EU

The office said in a statement that this means the percentage of both those who support the country's membership in the organization, and those who oppose it, has fallen since the previous poll conducted in December 2013.

The statement added that the support for EU membership diminished by five percent, but that this was "part of regular oscillations that have been occurring since the start of the surveys in 2002," while the number of those opposed to Serbia joining the EU "dropped significantly compared to the previous years."

The office said the newest numbers were influenced by "circumstances and events, above all on the international political scene, at the moment the survey was conducted."

35 percent of respondents also said that their country joining the EU would be "a good thing for them," 22 percent said it would be "bad," while 43 percent think such a development would be "neither good nor bad."

The office said that "when it comes to development donations to Serbia, citizens do not have a clear picture about who biggest donors are in the past 13 years," and adds that "official data shows that from 2000 until 2013, the EU and its member-states represent biggest donors with EUR 3.5 billion, with which they significantly contributed to Serbia's development."

The poll further showed that 67 percent of respondents think reforms necessary for Serbia's EU membership should be carried out regardless and "do not represent a condition for membership, but should be done for the sake of the well-being of citizens and a better-arranged Serbia."

Most want to see reforms that would tackle corruption, improve the health-care system, and better protect human rights, according to the office.

61 percent of respondents said that "problems between Belgrade and Priština" should be resolved regardless of whether the EU demands it, while two-thirds "support the government's dedication to continue the dialogue on the normalization of relations and its readiness to arrive to sustainable solutions thorough dialogue and cooperation."

The office said that it conducted the survey at the end of June, with participation of 1,015 respondents, and following Eurobarometer standards.