Public opinion split in half over country's direction

Maltese public opinion is almost split in half as to whether the country is moving in the right direction.

A scientific survey commissioned by the European Union as part of its Eurobarometer series between February and March, shows that 37 per cent of Maltese respondents think the country is moving in the right direction and another 36 per cent think the opposite. On the other hand, 25 per cent of respondents said they believed the situation in the country is neither good nor bad and two per cent did not have an opinion.

The survey in Malta was conducted by Misco on behalf of the EU and a sample of 500 respondents took part.

According to the results published yesterday in Brussels, Maltese public opinion is more favourable with regard to the European Union.

Forty per cent of respondents in fact think the EU is moving in the right direction and 21 per cent hold an opposite view. Twenty six per cent said it's neither one nor the other and 13 per cent did not have an opinion.

The Maltese perception on the introduction of the euro was also included in the questions set by the Commission. Results show that the outlook is quite positive.

Forty-one per cent think the Maltese national currency would be very vulnerable on the foreign exchange markets if the euro is not introduced and 27 per cent think this will not be the case.

Thirty-six per cent agree that the Maltese economy will become more competitive when the euro is introduced, 27 per cent disagree and 37 per cent do not have an opinion.

Asked to what extent they agree that if the lira is not replaced by the euro inflation would be much higher, 38 per cent agreed, 22 per cent disagreed and 40 per cent did not know.

The cost of living also featured prominently in the answers given by the Maltese public.

The majority of respondents, 48 per cent, said they are finding it difficult to pay all their bills at the end of the month. Forty per cent did not agree with this statement. Only one per cent did not answer this question and nine per cent did not wish to state their opinion.

Originally the survey meant to discover what the Europeans think in general of the EU.

On this issue, Malta's support towards membership has remained almost the same as in the last survey conducted last autumn, at 42 per cent. Twenty per cent think EU membership was a bad thing and 35 per cent said it was neither good nor bad.