Authors:

Tomáš Zálešák, a political scientist, advisor to the Chairman of the Parliament (The National Council of the SR) (since 2002), and co-worker of the Conservative Institute

Martin Hanus, a Germanist, publicist, co-worker of the Conservative Institute

In order to identify the stereotypes that regard NATO and the EU, the Conservative Institute has completed a qualitative study by use of focus groups method. Focus groups allow qualitative analysis of opinions and experiences of respondents as well as analysis of their spontaneous reactions to other particpants´ views. Group atmosphere contributes to a free production of views and ideas.

The opinion poll was done by the FOCUS Agency - the Center for Social and Marketing Analysis. The qualitative poll objectives were an identification and analysis of negative sterotypes related to NATO. The poll was targeted at definition of reasons for negative or reserved stances of citizens of the SR towards NATO as well as identification of prejudice, myths, more deeply embedded projections and their sources and the ways they spread. Secondarily, the poll paid attention also to the attitudes of Slovak citizens towards the EU.

The main conclusions of the poll, as defined by sociologists from FOCUS, represent the first part of this publication (Opinions Concerning the Accession of Slovakia to NATO and the EU – the Main Conclusions). It is necessary to stress that the defined stereotypes are characteristic only for those Slovak citizens who are not in favour of the accession to NATO. In the second part of the publication Tomáš Zálešák analyses the poll results (Analysis of Negative Stances towards NATO). His contribution is an attepmt to find influences which participated in formation of negative attitudes towards NATO. The final part of the publication (EU and NATO in the Slovak Media) is based on an analysis of articles dealing with integration of Slovakia into the EU and NATO that were presented in the Slovak media. Martin Hanus, an author of the final part, follows the discussion in the Slovak media which undoubtedly influences views of Slovak citizens regarding the accession of our country to the EU and NATO.

With this publication the Conservative Institute wanted to contribute to better and deeper knowledge of Slovak society views on integration of the Slovak Republic to both blocks.

The publication was issued thanks to the financial help provided by The Civil Society Development Foundation.

The publication is available only in Slovak language here as an Adobe Acrobat PDF.