Fewer Serbs see the US as an enemy and Russia as a friend, the survey says

Fewer Serbs see the US as an enemy and Russia as a friend, the survey says
 
 According to a survey by the Institute for European Affairs, significantly fewer Serbs think the United States is an enemy of Serbia.

The report says more Serbs think "it is important to have good relations with both the United States and Russia".

"Of the total number of respondents, 37 percent of Serb citizens believe that the United States is an enemy of Serbia and 26 percent believe that the United States is a friend of Serbia. Compared to a survey conducted earlier in 2019, "There are about 13 percent fewer respondents who share the view that the United States is Serbia's enemy," the Institute for European Affairs said, according to Radio Free Europe.

For the fifth year in a row, the Institute for European Affairs, in co-operation with the research company Ninamedia, is conducting a public opinion poll on relations between Serbia and the United States.

The survey included 1,207 respondents.

According to the results, 16.8 percent of Serbian citizens rate Serbia-US relations with the lowest score, while 6 percent of them with the highest score - 5.

A quarter rated Serbia-US relations with a passing score of 2, and the majority (42.2 per cent) responded with an average rating of 3.

Four points were scored by 9.9 percent of respondents.

On a scale of 1 to 5, the relations between the two countries were rated with an average score of 2.63.

This result marked a slight increase in rating.

At the same time, almost half of the citizens believe that in the future, relations between Serbia and the United States will be better.

"There is an increase in the number of respondents who are optimistic about improving relations between Serbia and the United States, while a third of citizens think that relations will not improve and this number is lower in this wave of research," the Institute for European Affairs said.

When asked what would improve relations between Serbia and the United States, 20.8 percent said that the resolution of the Kosovo issue would affect this aspect; 12.6 percent said this would happen if Kosovo returned to Serbia; 9.9 percent cited a NATO apology for intervening in 1999 and paying war reparations, while 8.5 percent cited Serbia's membership in the European Union.

The Institute for European Affairs also notes that about 49 percent of Serb citizens believe that a visit by US President Donald Trump would improve relations between Serbia and the United States. But on this issue 35% of respondents have the opposite attitude.

More than half of citizens - 52.5 percent - believe it is important for Serbia to have good relations with both Russia and the United States.

Russia is supported by 34.2 percent of respondents, while 4.8 percent support relations with America.

"Based on the comparison of results over three years, there is a downward trend in the case of respondents who prefer Russia and an increasing trend in the number of those who believe that it is important for Serbia to have good relations with both Russia and also with the United States."

Half of respondents perceive Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as a politician who works mainly for good relations with the United States.

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic is mentioned by 8.7 percent of respondents, while Serbian Prime Minister Ana Bernabic is mentioned by 3.1 percent of citizens.
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