Appendix 1 - Survey questions

Summary

The Levada Centre Omnibus Survey: 21–27 December 2007

Sampling was based on a multi-stage stratification scheme. Firstly, from seven federal regions (North-Western, Central, Southern, Povolzhskii, Uralskii, Siberian and Far Eastern), 128 primary sampling units (PSU) were selected: 88 urban settlements and 40 rural districts in 46 subjects of the Russian Federation. Secondly, secondary sampling units (SSU) were randomly selected within each PSU. Thirdly, households from each SSU were randomly selected. And finally, with the help of the 2002 National Census data, one respondent was selected within each household, taking into account sex, age and education. Of the 4,398 households visited, the interviewers had contacts with 2,912 people and completed 1,603 interviews. After the regional offices supervisors had conducted quality controls on the work of the interviewers, 2 interviews were rejected. Therefore 1,601 interviews entered the sample. Further details of sampling can be found at www.levada.ru.

Survey on blat

1. In the past seven years, did you or someone you know encounter any of the following informal practices?

Gave money/bribe to solve problems

Received money/bribe for helping with a problem

Gave gifts to solve problems

Received gifts from an interested party

Used your blat connections

Asked a public servant you know or a friend of a friend for help

Used your official position or influence to solve your own problems or at somebody else’s request

Asked for a public servant’s help through personal channels

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