Press releases

10 Sep 2026

Survey shows Belarusians highly satisfied with their local communities

An archive photo

MINSK, 10 September (BelTA) - As many as 71.2% of respondents rate the overall level of social and economic development of their local communities as high, Irina Rusak, head of the economic analysis department at the domestic policy directorate of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR) said as she presented the results of the comprehensive nationwide sociological survey into Belarus’ social and economic development, BelTA has learned.

“The results of the survey indicate a high assessment and a positive perception by people of life in their local community. When people talk about their city, agro-town, or village, various aspects matter to them: a wide range of goods in shops, the timely removal of garbage, landscaping, schools, kindergartens, and healthcare institutions, relations with neighbors, and the performance of the local authorities. When they answer a general question, they speak in general terms about their satisfaction with quality of life in local communities,” Irina Rusak said.

A total of 87.9% of respondents said they are satisfied with the work of retail outlets and 64.3% with the work of public catering (canteens, cafes, restaurants). “As for retail, the figure has grown compared to the previous survey. That is, we are on the right track and, importantly, the responses of urban and rural residents are at practically the same level. More than 85% are satisfied. As for public catering, the figure has also grown,” the BISR analyst noted.

A total of 63.7% of survey participants said they are satisfied with opportunities for recreation and leisure. “Satisfaction with leisure opportunities has grown by almost 1.5 times. In our opinion, the priority given to developing the tourism sector and the corresponding infrastructure played an important role in this. The number of Belarusians traveling around their own country is growing. People are exploring their country and are proud of it,” Irina Rusak emphasized.

A total of 72.2% of respondents are satisfied with the work of public transport, 70.4% with the quality of roads, 61.2% with the work of housing and utility services, and 62.7% with the improvement of courtyards, children’s playgrounds, and streets. “The satisfaction figure for public transport has also grown. This is an area we encounter every day, so a high figure indicates that citizens feel real improvements in the accessibility and comfort of travel. It is important that the priority through 2030 is the renewal of the public transport fleet. As for satisfaction with the quality of roads, there has been growth of almost 1.5 times. This result speaks to systematic work to reduce potholes and improve the quality of road surfaces. Satisfaction with the work of housing and utility services has also improved thanks to large-scale infrastructure modernization. Artesian water and housing repairs also play an important role. Satisfaction with the improvement of public spaces has grown as well,” the BISR analyst noted.

A total of 64.9% of respondents said they are satisfied with the work of healthcare institutions. “We see high satisfaction figures and they are fairly stable. But there are also issues in this area. For example, people complain about queues. Digitalization of this sector is currently underway, and the state program through 2030 lays down very important mechanisms to ensure timely and quality healthcare anywhere in Belarus,” Irina Rusak noted.

The Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus conducted the survey in July-August 2026 upon request of the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR). It involved 2,045 respondents from all regions of the country. The first part of results of a comprehensive nationwide sociological survey that focuses on the key matters of social and economic development in Belarus was presented in Minsk on 10 September.