Foreign policy

• According to the results of a survey conducted by the Rating Group and the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in February–March 2013, 58% of residents of Odesa region, when choosing between signing the Association Agreement and subsequent accession to the European Union or full participation in the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan, chose the Customs Union and CES, while 25% preferred the Association Agreement and subsequent EU accession. Another 18% were undecided.
• About 56% of Odesa region residents would prefer Ukraine not to become an EU member and instead maintain open borders with Russia — without visas and customs controls — while having closed borders with the EU — with visas and customs controls. Meanwhile, 27% would prefer Ukraine to sign a political association agreement and a Free Trade Agreement and, after becoming an EU member, have closed borders with Russia — with visas and customs controls — while maintaining open borders and a visa-free regime with EU countries. Another 17% found it difficult to answer.
• About 68% of respondents would like Ukraine and Russia to remain independent but friendly states with open borders, without visas and customs controls. About 11% believe relations between Ukraine and Russia should be the same as with other countries, with closed borders, visas, and customs controls. At the same time, 19% believe Ukraine and Russia should unite into one state. Another 2% were undecided.
• Residents of the region more optimistically assess prospects for selling Ukrainian industrial and agricultural products if Ukraine becomes a full member of the Customs Union and CES (56%) than if Ukraine joins the EU (22%). About 23% were unsure.
• Similarly, respondents evaluated employment prospects: 49% believe employment opportunities would improve if Ukraine joined the CES, while 25% believe they would improve if Ukraine joined the EU. About 26% were undecided.

Dual citizenship

• About 58% of Odesa region residents generally agree that Ukraine should introduce the possibility of dual citizenship with other countries, while 21% do not support this idea. About 15% are neutral, and 6% are undecided.
• If dual citizenship were allowed in Ukraine, 31% of Odesa region residents would like to obtain Russian citizenship while keeping Ukrainian citizenship. About 7% would choose German citizenship, 4% — U.S. citizenship, and 3% — Italian or Canadian citizenship. At the same time, less than one-third of respondents (27%) would not want to obtain a second citizenship.
• About 53% of respondents would like to obtain Russian citizenship while keeping Ukrainian citizenship (26.3% definitely would, 26.4% probably would). About 39% would not want Russian citizenship (23.3% definitely would not, 15.2% probably would not). About 9% were undecided.
• The share of those who would like to obtain EU citizenship while keeping Ukrainian citizenship is lower than the share of those who would like Russian citizenship — about 44% (17.7% definitely would, 24.8% probably would). The same share (44%) would not want EU citizenship while keeping Ukrainian citizenship. About 14% were undecided.

Forecasts

• About one-third of Odesa region residents (33%) believe that if Ukraine faced a difficult situation requiring significant non-repayable financial assistance, Russia would be the first to provide support. About 10% believe it would be the European Union, 5% — the International Monetary Fund, and 4% — international humanitarian organizations such as the UN. About 35% believe no one would help Ukraine, and 9% were undecided.
• About 36% of respondents believe Ukraine will eventually be accepted into the European Union (9% are certain, 26% think it is likely). However, more respondents — about 50% — believe Ukraine will never become an EU member (20% are certain, 30% think it is unlikely). About 15% were undecided.

Status of the russian language

• About 52% of Odesa region residents believe the Russian language should become the second state language throughout Ukraine. About 42% believe Russian should become a regional language in areas where the majority of the population supports this. About 5% believe Russian should be excluded from official communication across Ukraine. About 2% were undecided or refused to answer.

State structure

• About 40% of respondents believe a federal system suits Ukraine better, while 38% believe a unitary system is more appropriate. About 22% have not formed an opinion.

Land reform

• About 72% of Odesa region residents are aware that the authorities are preparing land reform allowing the free sale and purchase of land. About 65% view this reform negatively (39% negatively, 26% rather negatively), while 21% view it positively (8% positively, 14% rather positively). About 14% were undecided.
• Most respondents (52%) support only long-term leasing of agricultural land. About 28% would allow free sale and purchase of agricultural land but only to Ukrainian citizens, and only 6% would allow it to foreigners. About 15% were undecided.

Attitudes toward referendums

• About 73% of respondents support the idea of resolving a significant share of important issues at both local and national levels through referendums, while 16% do not support this. About 12% were undecided.
• Most respondents agree that citizens should be able, via local referendums, to dismiss heads of regional or district administrations (73%), dismiss mayors and call new elections (75%), dissolve local councils and call new elections (70%), and dismiss village heads (73%).
• Most respondents also agree that citizens should be able, via nationwide referendums, to decide on Ukraine’s accession to military, political, or economic alliances (72%), dissolve Parliament (67%), adopt and amend the Constitution (71%), and dismiss the Government (66%).

Internet use

• About every second resident of Odesa region (51%) has access to the internet at home, at work, at their place of study, or via a mobile device. Almost all of them (49% of residents) have experience using the internet. Monthly internet audience reaches 47% of residents (used at least once in the 30 days before the survey), weekly — 44%, daily — 35%.
• About 32% of respondents used social networks such as VKontakte and Odnoklassniki during the month before the survey. About 11% used Facebook, 3% — Twitter, and 2% — LiveJournal.