The European Commission just adopted its first EU Anti-Corruption Report. Highlights:
- 76% of Europeans think that corruption is widespread in their own country.
- More than half of Europeans (56%) think the level of corruption in their country has increased over the past three years.
EU’s Anti-Corruption Report asks for:
- better accountability and integrity standards;
- control mechanisms in public authorities;
- dealing with conflicts of interests by officials;
- how to address corruption at local level and in state-owned companies;
- the effectiveness of courts and police, and protection mechanisms for whistleblowers;
- limiting risks of bribery in foreign countries, and making lobbying more transparent;
- And – developing innovative e-tools to enhance transparency.
The Report also takes a close look at corruption in public procurement. In this respect, one may argue Romania’s main source of corruption lies in public procurement and so-called public “invite-only” bidding processes.
Speaking of better accountability, Romania has a new Criminal Code effective as of 1 February 2014. First effects: some 400 convicts are ready to be up and about thanks to the new provisions. Some 122 are already out since Saturday which points that convicts are really law-abiding citizens. Lucky us!
This spells accountability.
Pretty scary statistics.
It’s probably the tip of the iceberg but it’s good they’ve started showing it in reports.
I hope the government has a nice program in place( surveillance ) for the convicts.
No, not really, not for those. Those are really out.