Brussels, 05/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - Greece and Italy are at the bottom of the class in Europe in terms of corruption and are even worse than Bulgaria and Romania according to the new corruption perception index published by NGO Transparency International on Wednesday 5 December. This category covers 176 countries and Greece is in 94th place, having fallen 14 places since 2011. Italy is the 72nd worst country for corruption, even worse than Romania, in 66th place, and slightly worse than Bulgaria in 75th place. This situation has already been denounced by the NGO in the past. Corruption at all levels accentuates the economic crisis even further in these eurozone countries that are already very fragile. Transparency International described these new results as “disappointing”.
As for EU countries at the top of the class, it comes as no surprise that Denmark and Finland are at the top of the table and Sweden is in fourth place. The Netherlands is in 9th place, Luxembourg in 12th; Germany in 13th, closely followed by the United Kingdom in 17th place. Right at the bottom of the league table are Somalia, North Korea and Afghanistan.
This index illustrates significant differences between EU countries, explained the NGO in a press release, and reveals to what extent corruption is still a challenge in Europe for both countries that joined the EU recently and those of long date. All member states will have to step up their fight against corruption and are strongly urged to develop, “a genuine culture of transparency and integrity”. The NGO adds that, “two thirds of the 176 countries assessed in the 2012 index obtain a score of less than 50 on a scale from zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean), showing that public institutions need to be more transparent, and powerful officials more accountable”.
One of the remedies it suggests is the improvement of rules on lobbying and political funding, increased transparency in expenditure and the ward of public markets, as well as greater accountability of public bodies towards their citizens. (SP/transl.fl)