MOST SLOVAKS think membership in the European Union is a good thing for the country.
Seven out of ten Slovak citizens expressed this opinion in a survey conducted by the TNS SK company in April of this year, on a sample of 1,010 respondents.
More than 23 percent of those polled, however, are dissatisfied with Slovakia's entry into the EU, and more than seven percent did not respond to the question.
The results show that about 75 percent of those polled believe EU membership gave Slovaks the opportunity to move freely in EU countries, without a passport or visa. About 66 percent think one of the biggest advantages of EU membership is the chance to work in other EU countries. Fifty percent think that membership means an opportunity to receive support from EU funds and more jobs as the result of foreign investment.
"The survey has revealed that the common initial fears about membership in the EU failed to materialize and people now consider membership to be an asset," said Peter Badík, the research project manager at TNS.
Mostly younger people between 15 and 39 support EU membership, as well as people from towns with 20,000 to 99,999 citizens. In contrast, people aged 60 and over and respondents from municipalities with 2,000 to 4,999 citizens are not satisfied with Slovakia's entry into the EU.
Slovakia joined the EU three years ago, on May 1, 2004.
