7 September (BNS)

More than half Estonians have a positive opinion about the country's membership in the European Union, it appears from the fresh Eurobarometer survey. Of Estonian respondents 53% said membership in the EU is a good thing, compared to the EU average of 50%. Significantly fewer people than across the EU27 expressed the opposite opinion -- 9% and 16%, respectively.

One third of the people questioned in Estonia knew that the next European Parliament election will be held in June 2014, showing higher awareness than EU citizens on the average of whom a quarter knew the date. However, considerably more respondents in both this Baltic state and the EU had no answer at all -- 44% and 48%, respectively. Estonians, like most EU citizens, believe the European Parliament is the institution that best represents the EU. It was named by 49% of the polled in Estonia and 52% across the EU.

The European Parliament is also the best known EU institution in Estonia, followed by the European Commission and the European Central Bank. They were mentioned by respectively 56%, 27% and 16% of Estonian respondents. Likewise, more than half of EU respondents on the average (53%) named the European Parliament first.

The common euro currency was mentioned first as the most important component of European identity by 49% of the people interviewed in Estonia. Across the EU, the single currency ranked second with 43%. Values of democracy and freedom, named by 41% of Estonian respondents, were mentioned first by an average 45% of EU citizens.

Fieldwork for the Eurobarometer survey "Europeans two years before the 2014 European elections" was conducted from 2-17 June. Interviews numbered 26 622, including 1 005 in Estonia.