Credibility of SVK Armed Forces remains stable at over 70%, as confirmed by actual results of public opinion survey
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- Date: 03.12.2020
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The credibility of the SVK Armed Forces has in the long term remained stable with high levels of public trust, as confirmed by the Armed Forces Reputation Survey conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Defence since 2001. As results show, 72.6% of respondents reported having trust and confidence in the Armed Forces. The 2020 survey was based on a representative sample of 1,200 respondents and was conducted from 27 October to 2 November 2020.
Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Our MOD and Armed Forces are the only ones to have – regularly, continually and in the long run – evaluated the SVK public opinion on their areas of activity. Feedback from members of the public is truly important for us. I am very pleased we can conclude this time as well that our Armed Forces have once again defended their strong position as one of the most trustworthy institutions and I believe this will continue into the future.”
According to the survey, members of the public are aware of the SVK military’s operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The survey shows that 69.5% of respondents appreciate the actions of SVK service personnel in the fight against the COVID-19 virus,” highlighted Minister Naď.
The survey suggests that 67.6% of respondents support the Slovak Armed Forces, 79.4% say they can rely on service personnel in handling natural disasters, and 81.3% confirm that Slovakia needs the Armed Forces. That infrastructure and equipment have since long been neglected is also reflected in answers, as only 39% are in no doubt about the quality of military equipment and 54.2% think of the quality of military equipment as being comparable to other V4 armed forces.
The survey also reveals the opinions of the SVK public on statements regarding Slovakia’s membership in NATO and the EU, showing positive results. Over half the public (57.7%) believe our membership in the European Union is a guarantee of Slovakia’s security and stability, while a majority (58.8%) agree that our membership in NATO reinforces Slovakia’s international standing.
Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Our MOD and Armed Forces are the only ones to have – regularly, continually and in the long run – evaluated the SVK public opinion on their areas of activity. Feedback from members of the public is truly important for us. I am very pleased we can conclude this time as well that our Armed Forces have once again defended their strong position as one of the most trustworthy institutions and I believe this will continue into the future.”
According to the survey, members of the public are aware of the SVK military’s operations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The survey shows that 69.5% of respondents appreciate the actions of SVK service personnel in the fight against the COVID-19 virus,” highlighted Minister Naď.
The survey suggests that 67.6% of respondents support the Slovak Armed Forces, 79.4% say they can rely on service personnel in handling natural disasters, and 81.3% confirm that Slovakia needs the Armed Forces. That infrastructure and equipment have since long been neglected is also reflected in answers, as only 39% are in no doubt about the quality of military equipment and 54.2% think of the quality of military equipment as being comparable to other V4 armed forces.
The survey also reveals the opinions of the SVK public on statements regarding Slovakia’s membership in NATO and the EU, showing positive results. Over half the public (57.7%) believe our membership in the European Union is a guarantee of Slovakia’s security and stability, while a majority (58.8%) agree that our membership in NATO reinforces Slovakia’s international standing.
The latest survey of public opinion on the SVK Armed Forces was dedicated to current issues of defence and security and was conducted in line with a requirement which follows from the Government Manifesto Elaboration Plan 2020-2024 under the remit of the SVK MOD. Due to the ongoing pandemic, data was obtained from “online panels” by a public opinion agency, which was selected in a market research in compliance with SVK laws.
