Alexey Grazhdankin, deputy director of Levada center:

— If competent explanatory work is carried out, as we see it in Kaliningrad region, the population can be persuaded in that they should not apprehend and there is nothing to be afraid of. The entire Europe lives side by side with those nuclear power plants and nothing happens.

According to poll performed by research group CIRKON in Kaliningrad region from 21 January till 10 February, 45% of population of the region do not object against construction of Baltic NPP. Answering the question which advantages they see in that a nuclear power plant will be built in their region, the region population most of all names the following ones: appearing of new jobs (50%, in Neman district — 80%), energy independence of he region (43%, in the capital — 52%), reduction in price for electricity (37%, in Neman district 53%). As the poll showed, some citizens of Kaliningrad expressed potential readiness to change their attitude to construction of NPP to the better one subject to some conditions. To the most attractive conditions, fulfillment of which, as the respondents declared, may improve their attitude to construction of NPP, such ones as appropriation of jobs at NPP construction and in the future for NPP itself for residents of the region, as well as remuneration conditions, may be referred. Such preferences are also important as involvement of enterprises of the region in the NPP construction, possibility to keep part of tax proceeds in the area of the NPP location, as well as to obtain full access to information regarding construction of the power plant. According to polls data, aggregate shares of supporters and conventional supporters of NPP (i.e. those who have good and neutral opinion about the construction) subject to fulfillment of the said conditions, may make in the region capital — 63%, in Sovetsk — 48%, in Neman district — 72%. Total amount of the selection totality is 900 respondents.

Alexey Grazhdankin, deputy director of Levada center:

Various kinds of fears affect public opinion. Some of them appear as fear of nuclear power in general, especially after the Chernobyl accident. By the present time they have almost come to naught, but any message about any failures in activity of nuclear power plants which may appear in mass media, reanimates these fears. Second, fears can be hypothetical – basic apprehension «it will come to no good». They function and may grow if promoted by anyone for his own purposes. It happens on the background of absence of information about the real situation.

If competent explanatory work is carried out, as we see it in Kaliningrad region, the population can be persuaded in that they should not apprehend and there is nothing to be afraid of. The entire Europe lives side by side with those nuclear power plants and nothing happens. And we have no reasons for apprehension either – no accidents haven in our country, and the main thing, it is not worse here than in Europe. It is one of variants of fears elimination. Another method of influence on public opinion is demonstration and explanation of practical advantage in the form of work places, infrastructure, and assessments into regional budget. People have assessed what there will be as a result of NPP construction.

In any case at preparing of construction of nuclear power plants, local citizens obtain the opportunity to weigh all the benefits and drawbacks. Of course, time is needed for understanding of the information that is provided in the course of preparatory work by atomists. Subject to continuous performing of such work and informing, public opinion may change. It is like a PR campaign. To market a product and secure a certain position for it, in the beginning some serious expenses are needed to announce about appearing of the next product with the same properties, same quality and certain advantages.

Such long supporting work brings its result. The same is in Kaliningrad region. In order to prevent apprehension, which often appears with no reasons due to absence of information, it is necessary to create conception of the people that the situation is controlled. It also improves public opinion.