MOSCOW. Dec 30 (Interfax-AVN) - Almost one third of Russians (31%) named acts of terrorism in Russia the biggest event of the outgoing year.
Duma elections were the second most important event (17%), the qualification of Russia for the finals of the Europe soccer cup the third (12%), the arrest of Yukos oil company CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky the fourth (11%) and elections in Chechnya the fifth (7%), according to a Romir Monitoring nation-wide poll of 1,500 adults taken ahead of New Year.
Among the international events the interviewed named the war in Iraq (58%), the change of power in Georgia (8%), the acquisition of Chelsea football team by Roman Abramovich (7%), acts of terrorism in Turkey (6%) and the launch of the first Chinese cosmonaut (5%).
In a poll of 1,600 adults conducted by the analytical service led by Yuri Levada acts of terrorism in Russia and the war in Iraq were also named the most important events of the year by 29% and 41% of the polled respectively.
The other most important events were the sinking of a submarine in the Barents Sea (28%), the SARS epidemic (26%) and the arrests of turncoat senior police officers (25%).
In a poll conducted by the Public Opinion Foundation 28% of Russians named the war in Iraq the event of the year.