Citizens believe that democracy remains the most important value for which the European Parliament should fight. 72% of respondents believe that their country has benefited from EU membership.

Democracy, human rights and freedom of speech are of paramount importance to EU citizens, who are calling on the European Parliament to protect these values, which lie at the heart of our Union. This is one of the main conclusions of the Eurobarometer survey of the European Parliament for autumn 2022, the results of which were published today, the press service of the EP reported.

The survey, conducted between October 12 and November 7, 2022, shows that 74% of EU citizens approve of the European Union's support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion. In 24 EU member states, the majority of citizens agree with EU support. The most significant values are registered in Sweden (97%), Finland (95%), the Netherlands (93%), Portugal (92%) and Denmark (92%), while in Bulgaria and Greece the support is the lowest - 48%. Ten months after the start of the war in Ukraine, support for the concrete measures taken by the EU – in the form of sanctions against the Russian government or financial, military or humanitarian support for Ukraine – remains at the same high level of 73% (49% for Bulgaria).

The Eurobarometer survey confirms the strong commitment of European citizens not only to support Ukraine, but also the values on which the European Union is built. In response to the question of which values the European Parliament should protect as a priority, respondents indicated democracy most often (36%), followed by the protection of human rights in the EU and around the world (29%) and freedom of speech and thought (28%). Citizens want these founding EU values to be upheld within the Union and beyond. These same values are defended daily by the Ukrainian side after the unprovoked and unfounded invasion of Russian troops.

In Bulgaria, citizens indicate the rule of law and freedom of movement as priorities.

Citizens are also clearly feeling the impact of Russia's war in Ukraine. Due to the war and its consequences, nearly two-thirds of EU citizens think their lives will change (65%), or +4 percentage points compared to April-May 2022.

At the same time, citizens see real value in membership of the European Union, with 72% of Europeans and 60% of Bulgarians stating that their country has gained from EU membership. When asked why they think so, respondents most often refer to the EU's contribution to maintaining peace and strengthening security (36%, or +6 percentage points compared to November-December 2021). The largest increases were observed in Latvia (+16 percentage points), Lithuania (+15 percentage points), Estonia (+12 percentage points), the Netherlands (+13 percentage points), Malta (+11 percentage points) and Poland (+ 11 percentage points), indicating the likely impact of Russia's war on Ukraine. Among the other reasons given, the benefits of cooperation between EU countries stand out (35%, or +3 percentage points) and the EU's contribution to the economic growth of the respective country (30%, unchanged).

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/BNR