Ranks of Euro-enthusiasts growing in Lithuania - poll

VILNIUS (BNS) - The ranks of Lithuanian Euro-enthusiasts, which had thinned last year, saw a sharp increase over the first 10 months of 2000 and grew even further in October, according to a recent opinion poll.

According to the survey conducted by Vilmorus Public Opinion Research Center in mid-October, 47.3 percent of those polled said they would support Lithuania's entry into the European Union, while 20.9 percent said they would vote against and 6.8 percent would not vote at all. Another 25 percent were undecided.

In a similar poll carried out last month, Lithuania's EU bid was supported by 44.4 percent and opposed by 22.8 percent of respondents.

Results of a survey conducted in mid-October 1999 suggested that some 36.5 percent of respondents would have supported EU entry and 27.3 percent would have cast their ballots against the integration.

According to Lithuanian law, an issue is adopted in a referendum if more than 50 percent of all eligible Lithuanian voters support it.

The opinion poll carried out in October suggests that 67.9 percent of respondents are in favor of Lithuania's membership in the EU, as compared with 66.1 percent in September. Some 19.7 percent of those speaking for the integration want Lithuania to join the EU "as soon as possible."

Some 10.4 percent said Lithuania should abandon its EU aspiration, while another 21.8 percent are undecided as to the date of the entry in the 15-member organization.