(by Chiara Spegni) (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, NOVEMBER 18 - Pessimistic, victims of corruption, hit by the economic crisis and more Euro-sceptic than in the past: this is the picture of public opinion in Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina and Kosovo, which emerges from the Balkan Monitor poll by Gallup Europe, which was carried out this year in partnership with the European Fund for the Balkans. According to the survey, the majority of people polled considers another war unlikely, but a general climate of pessimism reigns, except for in Albania and Kosovo. Ten years after the war in Kosovo, time has passed, but there have not been significant improvements: this has caused discouragement, remarked the former Italian prime minister, Giuliano Amato, at the presentation of the survey in Brussels. In addition, said Amato, the regions movement towards Europe has had a worse impact that the economic crisis, with a fall in foreign investment. A large part of the regions population has suffered directly from a fall in living standards and for example, has had problems paying the bills: from 36% of Bosnians to 58% of Kosovans. Young people are pessimistic about employment, while more than two-thirds of those interviewed in the region believe that corruption is rampant within the government and business. More than half of Albanians last year had to hand over a bribe in order to solve a problem, while the same was true of 8% of Croatians and 20% of Macedonians and Kosovans. Two-thirds of those interviewed in Kosovo and Bosnia Herzegovina have been affected by organised crime, while the figure in other Balkan countries ranged from 32% in Albania to 61% in Croatia. Confidence in the political class at a national level, and in European institutions is in decline. Overall, more than half of those polled in all the countries in the region support EU membership, but it is the Croatians, in poll position compared to the others, who are critical. Almost four out of ten are indifferent, while 43% would vote against entry into the EU in a referendum. This is a kind of disenchantment, which Giuliano Amato puts down to the ever stronger chains which EU rapprochement entails. Entering into the Union means being thrown into a market where competition is fiercer. Such widespread dissatisfaction does not necessarily mean people want to go elsewhere though. With the exception of Albania, where 38% of those polled would leave if they had the chance. Croatias potential migrants number only 11%, while Montenegro and Bosnia have even fewer, from 39% in 2006 to 16% in 2009 in Montenegro, and from 25% to 16% in Bosnia Herzegovina. In terms of the future, a positive factor which relieves the general climate of pessimism could be the forthcoming liberalisation of visas for the Schengen area, which will affect Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia first, followed by Albania and Bosnia Herzegovina. The elimination of visas for the Schengen area could be a strategic step according to Ivan Krastev, president of the Centre of liberal strategies in Sofia, towards the speedy integration of the area into the European Union. (ANSAmed).