Czechs trust EU institutions more than their own

The results of a Eurobarometer poll published on Thursday suggest that Czechs trust EU institutions more than they trust their own government. This despite the fact that few respondents had a clear idea about how the EU functions. The poll revealed that 60 percent of Czechs trust the European Parliament and the European Commission while the Czech government got a 37 percent trust rating and the Czech Parliament a mere 15 percent. Sixty-three percent of Czechs think EU membership has benefited their country. Experts say the high level of trust in EU institutions stems from the fact that many Czechs are hoping that strict EU norms will improve the Czech environment.