The FOCUS polling agency claims that 50 percent of the population support Slovakia's NATO membership, which is a 14-percent increase compared to March 2003. The poll of 1,011 respondents conducted between July 2-8 shows 42.6 percent opposing the integration and 7.4 percent undecided.
This trend is a firm one, former Slovak ambassador to the United States and sociologist from the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO) Martin Bútora told SITA. Similar to rising support for NATO in the Czech Republic after the country joined the alliance, Slovaks have also started viewing NATO as part of their everyday life. The increasing role of Poland within NATO could also have a positive impact on public moods.
4. Aug 2003 at 0:00 | From press reports
