Poll: 66 percent support SAA signing

A large majority (66 percent) of Serbian citizens support the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, a new poll suggests. However, the percentage drops when taking into consideration arguments for and against the signing, according to the latest Strategic Marketing Agency survey. Poll: 66 percent support SAA signing According to the agency, 66 percent of citizens supported the signing of the SAA, while 21 percent were against it. Citizens’ support for European integration, when ignoring the problems between Serbia and the EU, is at around 70 percent. In terms of party affiliation, all supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supported the SAA signing, while 94 percent of the “For a European Serbia” list and 81 percent of SPS-PUPS-JS voters were for the signing. The signing was also backed by 66 percent of undecided voters, 56 percent of those who will not vote, 45 percent of DSS-NS coalition supporters, and 41 percent of Serb Radical Party (SRS) voters. Among SRS, DSS and NS voters, support for the signing was virtually 50 percent. There is also a palpable difference in the views of younger people and older citizens—older people opposed the signing, while younger people were generally in favor. “The Schengen White List, or the potential scrapping of the visa regime for Serbian citizens traveling through EU countries is what the large majority of the population (84 percent) views as very important, while 12 percent of citizens do not view this as a priority, mostly older people and the least educated citizens,” Strategic Marketing Director Srdjan Bogosavljevic explained. The Strategic Marketing Director stressed that the figures changed when arguments in favor or against the agreement were brought up. “When reminded that some parties opposed the signing, and that the SAA should only be signed if the EU gives clear guarantees that Kosovo is part of Serbia, the number of DSS-NS supporters in favor of signing falls drastically, with only 56 percent of the original number in favor remaining so,” said Bogosavljevic. Most party sympathizers do not change their views, the research shows, but there was a noticeable change when it came to the Socialist Party of Serbia, which saw a loss of 16 points. “The number of Radicals who supported the signing of the SAA fell to nine percent, and DSS-NS support fell from 45 to 39 percent,” Bogosavljevic said. Strategic Marketing conducted the study on April 28, the day before the signing of the SAA, interviewing a sample group of 550 people over the age of 18. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.1 percent, according to the agency.

Poll: 66 percent support SAA signing

According to the agency, 66 percent of citizens supported the signing of the SAA, while 21 percent were against it.

Citizens’ support for European integration, when ignoring the problems between Serbia and the EU, is at around 70 percent.

In terms of party affiliation, all supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supported the SAA signing, while 94 percent of the “For a European Serbia” list and 81 percent of SPS-PUPS-JS voters were for the signing.

The signing was also backed by 66 percent of undecided voters, 56 percent of those who will not vote, 45 percent of DSS-NS coalition supporters, and 41 percent of Serb Radical Party (SRS) voters.

Among SRS, DSS and NS voters, support for the signing was virtually 50 percent.

There is also a palpable difference in the views of younger people and older citizens—older people opposed the signing, while younger people were generally in favor.

“The Schengen White List, or the potential scrapping of the visa regime for Serbian citizens traveling through EU countries is what the large majority of the population (84 percent) views as very important, while 12 percent of citizens do not view this as a priority, mostly older people and the least educated citizens,” Strategic Marketing Director Srđan Bogosavljević explained. The Strategic Marketing Director stressed that the figures changed when arguments in favor or against the agreement were brought up.

“When reminded that some parties opposed the signing, and that the SAA should only be signed if the EU gives clear guarantees that Kosovo is part of Serbia, the number of DSS-NS supporters in favor of signing falls drastically, with only 56 percent of the original number in favor remaining so,” said Bogosavljević.

Most party sympathizers do not change their views, the research shows, but there was a noticeable change when it came to the Socialist Party of Serbia, which saw a loss of 16 points.

“The number of Radicals who supported the signing of the SAA fell to nine percent, and DSS-NS support fell from 45 to 39 percent,” Bogosavljević said.

Strategic Marketing conducted the study on April 28, the day before the signing of the SAA, interviewing a sample group of 550 people over the age of 18.

The margin of error was plus or minus 4.1 percent, according to the agency.