Podgorica, (MINA) – An alarmingly high percentage of Montenegrin citizens believe in conspiracy theories and propaganda narratives, such as that global elites deliberately cause health crises, or that homosexuality is a disease, according to the research conducted by the Damar Institute.
The opinion poll was conducted on behalf of the Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) between February 22 and March 4, on a sample of 1,008 respondents.
Executive editor of the Raskrinkavanje.me portal Jelena Jovanovic stated that as many as 54.1 percent of citizens believe that global elites want to reduce the world’s population, while only 15.5 percent believe this statement to be false, and 50.2 percent believe that global elites are planning a new pandemic.
According to Jovanovic, 44.7 percent of respondents believe that the coronavirus pandemic was not real, while 38.5 disagree. Meanwhile, 31.1 percent believe that Donald Trump is fighting the global deep state, 36.2 percent disagree, while 32.7 percent are uncertain.
When it comes to climate change, 47.7 percent of citizens reject the claim that it is a fabrication by global elites. However, 32.1 percent believe this narrative, while 20.2 percent remain unsure.
Jovanovic said that when it comes to propaganda narratives and conspiracy theories in the field of international politics, the survey revealed that 39.6 percent of citizens believe the EU is forcing Montenegrin citizens to renounce traditional values. Similarly, 37 percent believe that the EU poses a threat to Orthodoxy, compared to 41.9 percent who do not.
According to her, the majority of citizens (48.7 percent) say that Russia has seized parts of Ukraine, while 25.3 percent consider this to be false. Additionally, 30.4 percent believe that Russia is fighting against imperialism.
“A significant majority, 81.3 percent, rated as true the statement that there are only two sexes (male and female) and that this is the only possible biological division, while only 10.8 percent disagree, and 7.9 percent are unsure”, Jovanovic said.
According to the opinion poll results, as many as 64.6 percent of respondents believe that homosexuality is a disease, 12.3 percent disagree, while 23.1 percent have no opinion on this matter.
Jovanovic adds that these findings can be directly linked to the huge problem of public disinformation that is present in Montenegro, recalling that Montenegrin institutions and legal framework still do not recognize misinformation.
The opinion poll also revealed a broad public support (85.1 percent) to the idea of increased state regulation of social media as a measure to combat misinformation, while only 14.9 percent disagrees.
