MOSCOW, January 9. /ITAR-TASS/. More than a third of Russian citizens (about 39%) say last past year was favorable for the country, as follows from a recent opinion poll, conducted by the Russian National Public Opinion Studies Center (WCIOM).

At the same time, WCIOM statistics show that almost half of the respondents regarded 2013 as difficult for Russia, and about five percent said it was “very difficult”.

“On the whole, the situation in the country is assessed in the last three years more positive than in 2009-2010,” sociologists say. The outgoing year of 2008 was considered favorable for the country only by 20% of Russians, and by 25% for the year 2009.

Last year's personal results are assessed in the following way: while about 46% of those surveyed regarded 2013 as generally good, about 41% said it was rather difficult. Furthermore, the past year turned to be more difficult for elderly people (49%) and low-income citizens (48%). Young people (56%) and higher income groups (54%) said they had quite positive impressions of the previous year.

“The satisfaction level of the respondents has decreased over the past three years,” sociologists say. “However, the positive mood the people have expressed generally higher than in a crisis year.”

According to the survey, every third respondent was cheerful and optimistic about the future at the end of 2013. At the same time, about half of Russians were neither very enthusiastic nor pessimistic on New Year's eve. The survey also found that women turned out to be more optimistic than men when asked about the incoming year.

The poll was conducted on December 21-22, 2013. The margin of error was at about three percent.