The people nevertheless appear to be confident about the perceived safety of bank deposits: 51% believe their bank deposits are safe and 42% think they are not.

The poll also reveals that 62% of respondents oppose one of the main measures that the government has proposed to shore up public finances, namely an increase in the VAT rate. Only 33% support it.

On the other hand, 65% agree that the Catholic Church should do what the Orthodox Church has done in Cyprus - make its assets available to the state. Some 30% believe the Church need not do that.

The phone poll was carried out by Delo's in-house Stik agency on 27 and 28 March and involved 423 respondents.