Eurasian Integration Yearbook 2012

Igor V. Zadorin. “Monitoring social moods in the post-Soviet space:EDB Integration Barometer”The Economics of the Post-Sovietand Eurasian Integrationof the respondents gave positive answers. It is particularly remarkable that theseintegration efforts are perceived positively not only in those countries affectedby incorporation. A high proportion of positive answers was characteristic forTajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova: countries whose inhabitantsare relatively more oriented towards economic cooperation with other countriesof the former Soviet Union, and, most of all, with Russia.What do you think about Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia uniting into the Customs Union(which abolished duties on trade between the three countries)?Kazakhstan80%10%MemberTajikistan76%17%Russia72%17%MemberUzbekistan67%14%Kyrgyzstan67%15%8%Moldova65%20%7%Armenia61%26%Average61%24%BelarusUkraineAzerbaijanGeorgia60%57%38%30%28%31%46%39%11%MemberPositivelyNo matterNegativelyCannot sayBoth official integration mechanisms also receive an above-average level ofsupport in Moldova and Armenia, which do not have common borders withthe Customs Union or the Single Economic Space, and, accordingly, could nottake full advantage of hypothetic incorporation. This high level of attractionis partially connected with the history of migrant labour from these countries– the intensity of this flow may be illustrated by the fact that three-quartersof Armenian citizens and every second citizen of Moldova currently havepermanent communications with relatives and friends in Russia.High support for the Customs Union appeared to be typical for two countrieswhich are potential members of the Customs Union – Tajikistan andKyrgyzstan.It is also interesting that the official integration mechanisms receive highsupport in Uzbekistan, in spite of the noticeable isolationist tendencies of thepopulation evident from the answers to other questions.Out of the three members of both the Customs Union and the Single EconomicSpace, membership is least supported in Belarus and most highly supportedEurasian Development Bank161