MOSCOW. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - The majority of people residing in Chechnya - 56% - believe that the recently declared amnesty will help stabilize the situation in the republic.
This information comes from a poll conducted by the Validata sociological service on 1,000 adult Chechens in 75 Chechen communities in late May.
The poll showed that the amnesty was long awaited in Chechnya, although 28% were skeptical about it, saying that it would not promote stabilization in the republic, a Validata source told Interfax on Tuesday.
Asked what Chechens currently expect from the authorities, 21% mentioned employment, 12% restoration of law and order, 11% financial compensation for destroyed housing, 10% the restoration of destroyed homes, 9% the provision of personal security and 8% clamping down on banditry.
The poll showed that 54% of Chechens believe schools and hospitals should take first priority in the restoration efforts, 18% favored restoring culture facilities and 9% kindergartens.
Quite a large number of Chechens - 71% - are still convinced that the federal forces pose the greatest danger to them. However, the survey showed that many people for the first time saw other sources of problems as well: 35% consider criminals among the main threats to stability in the republic, 20% rebel militants and 20% local security agencies.
Sociologists particularly emphasized the fact that 90% of Chechens condemn terrorist attacks, while earlier many tended to excuse such acts.
The Interfax source said Validata is the only sociological service conducting public opinion polls in Chechnya at the moment.