The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies - IFIMES in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has started a project to measure democratic capacity in post-transition societies. Following are results from the analyses conducted as part of this project, specifically polling results from the first survey. THE PROJECT The Democracy and Tolerance Capacity Research Project is an effort to ascertain the capacity of post-transition countries for sustainable democratic development. The project consists of a series of polls, each aimed at measuring the specific democratic discourse, tolerance capacity, and confidence in institutions among the general population. The project targets post-transition countries, part of which is Macedonia. Other polls will include other countries from Southeast Europe and former Soviet Union states. After the series of polls has been completed, IFIMES will work together with the NGO sector in each post transition country to establish a series of projects specifically designed to address identified weaknesses in each development society. THE POLL The poll was conducted during 20th to 25th December 2010 in various cities in Macedonia, via telephone, on a random nationally representative stratified sample of 1204 respondents, including different ethnic and social groups. The sampling error is 3% THE RESULTS Poll Results are attached with this release. ABOUT IFIMES IFIMES – International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan studies, based in Ljubljana - Slovenia, gathers and selects various information and sources on key conflict areas in the world. Based on the selected information, the Institute analyses mutual relations among parties with an aim to promote the importance of global conflict resolution of the existing conflicts and the role of preventive actions against new global disputes. Idea to establish IFIMES Institute is a reflection of our common reality and the needs of the world to reach for common solutions – now more than ever in the past. Common interests and bonds among different policies, nations, religions, world regions and diverse interest parties in the unipolar world are essential. Constant search for differences and rejections is like searching for a needle in a pack of hay, while insisting on cooperation and respect for diversity provides a chance to create a better world. The area of research and work of IFIMES Institute is the Middle East (Gulf States) and the Balkans (South-Eastern Europe), where relations among different entities are based on religious, ethnic, national and racial grounds. Associates of the Institute are respected experts, scientists, managers, journalists and researchers, who are introducing younger colleagues from all over the world to work, with a purpose of additional education, promotion of knowledge and scientific achievements with an emphasis on the political and economic connections within the region, among the regions and on the global level. The IFIMES Institute is through organizing seminars, symposiums, conferences, round tables, (with participants from various interest groups: scientists, politicians, managers, representatives of religious institutions, journalists, artists and others), performing analyses, studies and projects, as well as through its own publications presenting the results of its work and achievements, also targeting leading international media. IFIMES will in the future cooperate with relevant institutions from the USA, EU, Gulf States and countries from South-Eastern Europe on projects, studies and analyses prepared individually or based on specific demands from a known party. The activities of IFIMES are especially directed towards the areas of international (foreign) politics and economy, international relations, counseling the state institutions, companies and individuals and more. IFIMES is searching for and recommending political solutions to the governments of the world, especially and foremost for the regions of the Balkans and the Middle East. The International Institute IFIMES is a partner of: World Security Network, New York Globalvision News Network, New York Mejdunarodniyi obchestveniyi fond »Eksperimentalniyi tvorcheskiyi centr«, Kurginyana Center, Moscow.