CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX 2023:
– WEAKENED JUDICIAL SYSTEMS
– THEY ALLOW UNCHECKED CORRUPTION
Governments around the world are failing miserably to stop corruption
Berlin, 30 January 2024
The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, published by Transparency International, shows that most countries have not made significant progress in the public sector in fighting corruption.
The global average of the Corruption Perceptions Index remains unchanged at 43 points for the twelfth consecutive year, with more than two-thirds of countries scoring below 50 points.
This demonstrates serious issues of corruption.
According to the Rule of Law Index , the world is experiencing a decline in the functioning of judicial systems.
Countries that score lowest on this Index also score very low on the Corruption Perceptions Index, demonstrating a clear link between access to justice and corruption.
Both authoritarian regimes and democratic leaders who undermine justice contribute to increasing impunity for corruption and, in some cases, even encourage it by eliminating consequences for offenders.
The impact of their actions is evident in countries everywhere from Venezuela (13 points) to Tajikistan (20 points).
President of Transparency International, François Valérian, said:
“Corruption will continue to thrive until judicial systems can punish wrongdoing and bring governments under control. When justice is bought off or politically interfered with, it is the people who suffer. Leaders must fully invest in and guarantee the independence of institutions that uphold the law and tackle corruption. It is time to end the impunity associated with corruption. »
Denmark (90 points) tops the index for the sixth consecutive year, with Finland and New Zealand following with scores of 87 and 85, respectively .
Due to the well-functioning of their judicial systems, these countries are also among the top scorers in the Rule of Law Index.
Somalia (11 points), Venezuela (13 points), Syria (13 points), South Sudan (13 points) and Yemen (16 points ) occupy the bottom positions of the Index.
All are affected by long-term crises, mainly armed conflicts.
Twenty-three countries – including some highly ranked democracies such as Iceland (72 points), the Netherlands (79 points), Sweden (82 points) and the United Kingdom (71 points), as well as some authoritarian regimes such as Iran (24 points), Russia (26 points), Tajikistan (20 points) and Venezuela (13 points) are all at historic lows this year.
As of 2018, twelve countries recorded a significant drop in their score on the Corruption Perceptions Index. The list includes low- and middle-income countries such as El Salvador (31 points), Honduras (23 points), Liberia (25 points), Myanmar (20 points), Nicaragua (17 points), Sri Lanka ( 34 points) and Venezuela (13 points), as well as upper/middle and high-income economies such as Argentina (37 points), Austria (71 points), Poland (54 points), Turkey (34 points) and the United Kingdom (71 points);
Eight countries improved their position on the Corruption Perceptions Index over the same period: Ireland (77 points), South Korea (63 points), Armenia (47 points), Vietnam (41 points), Maldives (39 points) , Moldova (42 points), Angola (33 points) and Uzbekistan (33 points).
For individual scores, country-by-year variations, and region-by-region breakdown, see: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023
CORRUPTION AND INJUSTICE
Independent, transparent and adequately funded judicial and supervisory institutions are core to curbing corruption.
Accordingly, preventing the abuse of political power, bribery and other forms of corruption affecting judicial systems is crucial to ensure their effectiveness.
Russia ‘s war against Ukraine (36 points) has created enormous challenges for its governance and infrastructure, increasing the risks of corruption.
However, Ukraine continued to rise in the Corruption Perceptions Index (for eleven consecutive years by focusing its efforts on reforms of its judicial system, including the restructuring of judicial self-regulation bodies, strengthening judicial independence and strengthening its Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office .
Despite these improvements, the existence of a significant number of high-level corruption cases remains a major concern.
Guatemala ‘s decline (23 points) is the result of the continuous adoption of corrupt practices by three successive governments.
The Office of the Prosecutor and the judiciary were used to grant impunity to the elite for their corrupt practices and to target those who opposed the corruption.
This has left the state without any institutional reserve to fight corruption.
• In Africa, cases of corruption and related issues within judicial systems vary, including reports of bribery, extortion and political interference in the judicial systems of countries such as Nigeria (25 points). There were cases of judges being imprisoned in Burundi (20 points) and a lack of effective investigation into cases brought to court in the Republic of Congo (20 points).
Transparency International calls on governments to give judicial systems the independence, resources and transparency needed to effectively punish all corruption-related offenses and provide checks and balances on power. Where necessary, they must also introduce better procedures and laws to help the judiciary to protect itself, but also to target cases of corruption.
Transparency International Executive Director Daniel Eriksson said:
“Corruption exacerbates social injustice and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable. In many countries, there are still obstacles to justice for victims of corruption. The time has come to break down the barriers and ensure that people can have effective access to justice. Everyone deserves fair and inclusive legal systems where victims’ voices are heard at every stage. Anything else is an affront to justice.”
GREECE’S POSITION IN THE CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX FOR 2023 (COUNTRY UNDER MONITORING)
With a drop of three points (49 points in 2023 from 52 points in 2022 & 59th place for 2023 from 51st place in 2022), Greece faces a rule of law crisis that reverses the country’s positive course over the past decade.
The fallout from the government’s alleged illegal wiretapping of journalists and opposition politicians, attacks on press freedom and reduced judicial independence have contributed to the sharpest decline in the rule of law in the EU .
Concerns are growing over government overreach in the ‘Predatorgate’ wiretapping scandal, with reports of threats against members of the independent watchdog investigating the case and obstruction of witnesses.
Greece is the worst performing country in the EU according to the World Press Freedom Index .
The use of SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) to silence journalists is common, preventing the media from reporting corruption cases.
This is reinforced by the concentration of media ownership in persons with close ties to the political elite.
Greece made a promising move by establishing the National Transparency Authority in 2019, but its board members are chosen by the government .
The position of Commander has been vacant for more than a year and a half, while members of the Board of Directors recently resigned amid allegations of scandal .
To halt the slide, the government must guarantee the protection and safety of journalists, strengthen laws on lobbying and political party funding, and maintain an independent anti-corruption authority.
The President of Transparency International Greece, Mr. Giorgos Hatzigiannakis, stated:
” For the first time after 10 years, we observe a drop in our country’s score on the Corruption Perceptions Index, which negatively affects its global ranking as well. Already last year, Transparency International Greece warned about the effects of the reduction of the rule of law, the lack of initiatives to improve press freedom and the weakening of the Independent Authorities. For the country to return to the upward trajectory of the previous years, substantial interventions should be made, among others, for the protection of journalists, the independence of the administrations of the Independent Authorities and the strengthening of the rule of law. International Transparency Greece intends to contribute in every appropriate way to the achievement of the above objectives. »
EDITOR’S NOTE:
About the Corruption Perceptions Index
Since its inception in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index has become the leading global indicator of public sector corruption.
The Index scores 180 countries and regions around the world on perceptions of public sector corruption, using data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, private risk assessment and consulting firms, think tanks and others. Ratings reflect the opinions of experts and business people.
The process for calculating the Corruption Perceptions Index is reviewed regularly to ensure that it is as robust and consistent as possible.
It was most recently reviewed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Center in 2017.
All scores from 2012 onwards are comparable from one year to the next.
For more information, see: The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated
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About Transparency International
Through offices in more than 100 countries and its International Secretariat in Berlin, Transparency International is the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption for more than 25 years.
www.transparency.org
Regarding the International Transparency of Greece
Transparency International Greece is the Greek branch of Transparency International and has been operating in Greece since 1996. The main objectives of its action are to inform and raise awareness among citizens about the dangers of corruption in Greece and, at the same time, to promote substantial systemic changes that will lead to the functioning of society with more transparency. www.transparency.gr
