St. Petersburgers need more rules to lead comfortable life

'St. Petersburgers are prevented from leading a comfortable life by a lack of rules,' according to Tatiana Protasenko, an employee of the Russian Academy of Science's Sociological Institute. At a round-table discussion entitled 'St. Petersburg. Forming a new living environment', held at Rosbalt, she said that the results of sociological research conducted over the last year show that many young and middle-aged St. Petersburgers lack norms outlining how to live in a city.

Protasenko also said that recent polls show that changing rules, particularly norms and laws, arouse 'unvoiced opposition' in St. Petersburgers. She believes that 'even if laws are not appropriate, they should not be changed immediately.' 'People long for norms: they can improve their lives themselves, but they need a framework in which to do this,' said Protasenko.