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TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL'S GLOBAL CORRUPTION BAROMETER 2013: 43% OF RESPONDENTS SAY CORRUPTION IN ARMENIA HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS
by Samvel Sarksyan
Wednesday, July 10, 13:01
Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Executive Director of Transparency International
Anticorruption Center in Armenia, introduced the Transparency
International's Global Corruption Barometer 2013 (GCB) on July 9.
He said that 43% out of 1068 respondents in Armenia thought corruption
level has increased over the last year, while only 19% thought it
decreased. He said that 82 respondents thought corruption a serious
or a very serious problem for Armenia, and only 3% said corruption is
not a problem. Nevertheless, 21% of the polled said the government
actions to fight corruption are effective or very effective (vs. 27%
in GCB-2011 on Armenia ) and 53% said the government actions are
ineffective.
57% of people in Armenia thought that political parties were affected
by corruption, 57% of people in Armenia thought that parliament /
legislature was affected by corruption, 51% of people in Armenia
thought that business was affected by corruption, 47% of people in
Armenia thought that military was affected by corruption, 32% of
people in Armenia thought that NGOs were affected by corruption, 37%
of people in Armenia thought that media was affected by corruption,
39% of people in Armenia thought that religious bodies were affected
by corruption, 58% of people in Armenia thought that education systems
were affected by corruption, 69% of people in Armenia thought that
judiciary was affected by corruption, 66% of people in Armenia thought
that medical and health services were affected by corruption, 66% of
people in Armenia thought that police were affected by corruption, and
68% of people in Armenia thought that public officials and civil
servants were affected by corruption. 48% though the government is
run by a few big entities acting in their own best interests, and only
16% did not think so. 48% though personal contacts are important for
thinks do be done in the public sector, while 9% said the personal
contacts are not important at all.
Hoktanyan is very concerned over the fact that only 37% of respondents
strongly agreed that ordinary people can make a difference in the
fight against corruption. This indicator is lower only in the Ukraine,
Serbia, and Tunisia. Only 43% of the polled expressed desire to fight
corruption, and this made Armenia an outsider. In addition, only 33%
of them are ready to report on corruption cases to relevant
organizations and agencies, though they think it will change nothing.
This indicator is lower only in Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, and Hungary.
Hoktanyan said that 18% of respondents in Armenia said they gave
bribes mostly to the healthcare establishment and police. They said in
most cases bribes were given as a sign of gratitude, while another 27%
had to give bribes to settle problems. In addition, 28% of the
respondents said they were demanded a bribe and another 62% said they
refused to give bribes.
Clarifying the situation with the corrupt judiciary and police in
Armenia, which are set to fight corruption, Hoktanyan said that in
conditions of the system-wide corruption, the judicial and police
cannot fulfill the constitutional provision on independent work. At
the same time, judicial and police are inefficient also for lack of
human resources and sufficient rewards. He outlined also the low level
of transparency and reporting. In addition, judiciary and police do
not perceive their work as a service for the people.
Hoktanyan thinks the above data should not be taken as absolute
reality, given the atmosphere of cautiousness in Armenia. There is
such atmosphere also in Azerbaijan, where no one admitted that he has
ever given bribes or that the government is run by a few big entities
acting in their own best interests. For conclusion, he said that that
GCB-2013 reports of certain stagnation in the fight against corruption
in Europe, but it is not a dangerous phenomenon for European countries
that have effective institutional structures and mechanisms. On the
other hand, he said, political parties and NGOs are also responsible
for the people's unwillingness to fight corruption.
Hoktanyan explained that The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 is a
survey of 114,000 people in 107 countries and it shows corruption is
widespread. The survey was conducted by WIN/GIA and its subsidies in
the period from Oct 2012 up to Mar 2013. The report does not cover
Belarus, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The survey was
held only in 8 towns in Kyghyzstan. 27 per cent of respondents have
paid a bribe when accessing public services and institutions in the
last 12 months, revealing no improvement from previous surveys. Still,
nearly 9 out of 10 people surveyed said they would act against
corruption and two-thirds of those who were asked to pay a bribe had
refused, suggesting that governments, civil society and the business
sector need to do more to engage people in thwarting corruption. 36
countries view police as the most corrupt, and in those countries an
average of 53 per cent of people had been asked to pay a bribe to the
police. 20 countries view the judiciary as the most corrupt, and in
those countries an average of 30 per cent of the people who had come
in contact with the judicial systems had been asked to pay a bribe.
The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 shows a crisis of trust in
politics and real concern about the capacity of those institutions
responsible for bringing criminals to justice. In 51 countries around
the world political parties are seen as the most corrupt institution.
55 per cent of respondents think government is run by special
interests. Around the world, people's appraisal of their leaders'
efforts to stop corruption is worse than before the financial crisis
began in 2008, when 31 per cent said their government's efforts to
fight corruption were effective. This year it fell to 22 per cent.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=401A8EF0-E93F-11E2-904A0EB7C0D21663
by Samvel Sarksyan
Wednesday, July 10, 13:01
Varuzhan Hoktanyan, Executive Director of Transparency International
Anticorruption Center in Armenia, introduced the Transparency
International's Global Corruption Barometer 2013 (GCB) on July 9.
He said that 43% out of 1068 respondents in Armenia thought corruption
level has increased over the last year, while only 19% thought it
decreased. He said that 82 respondents thought corruption a serious
or a very serious problem for Armenia, and only 3% said corruption is
not a problem. Nevertheless, 21% of the polled said the government
actions to fight corruption are effective or very effective (vs. 27%
in GCB-2011 on Armenia ) and 53% said the government actions are
ineffective.
57% of people in Armenia thought that political parties were affected
by corruption, 57% of people in Armenia thought that parliament /
legislature was affected by corruption, 51% of people in Armenia
thought that business was affected by corruption, 47% of people in
Armenia thought that military was affected by corruption, 32% of
people in Armenia thought that NGOs were affected by corruption, 37%
of people in Armenia thought that media was affected by corruption,
39% of people in Armenia thought that religious bodies were affected
by corruption, 58% of people in Armenia thought that education systems
were affected by corruption, 69% of people in Armenia thought that
judiciary was affected by corruption, 66% of people in Armenia thought
that medical and health services were affected by corruption, 66% of
people in Armenia thought that police were affected by corruption, and
68% of people in Armenia thought that public officials and civil
servants were affected by corruption. 48% though the government is
run by a few big entities acting in their own best interests, and only
16% did not think so. 48% though personal contacts are important for
thinks do be done in the public sector, while 9% said the personal
contacts are not important at all.
Hoktanyan is very concerned over the fact that only 37% of respondents
strongly agreed that ordinary people can make a difference in the
fight against corruption. This indicator is lower only in the Ukraine,
Serbia, and Tunisia. Only 43% of the polled expressed desire to fight
corruption, and this made Armenia an outsider. In addition, only 33%
of them are ready to report on corruption cases to relevant
organizations and agencies, though they think it will change nothing.
This indicator is lower only in Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, and Hungary.
Hoktanyan said that 18% of respondents in Armenia said they gave
bribes mostly to the healthcare establishment and police. They said in
most cases bribes were given as a sign of gratitude, while another 27%
had to give bribes to settle problems. In addition, 28% of the
respondents said they were demanded a bribe and another 62% said they
refused to give bribes.
Clarifying the situation with the corrupt judiciary and police in
Armenia, which are set to fight corruption, Hoktanyan said that in
conditions of the system-wide corruption, the judicial and police
cannot fulfill the constitutional provision on independent work. At
the same time, judicial and police are inefficient also for lack of
human resources and sufficient rewards. He outlined also the low level
of transparency and reporting. In addition, judiciary and police do
not perceive their work as a service for the people.
Hoktanyan thinks the above data should not be taken as absolute
reality, given the atmosphere of cautiousness in Armenia. There is
such atmosphere also in Azerbaijan, where no one admitted that he has
ever given bribes or that the government is run by a few big entities
acting in their own best interests. For conclusion, he said that that
GCB-2013 reports of certain stagnation in the fight against corruption
in Europe, but it is not a dangerous phenomenon for European countries
that have effective institutional structures and mechanisms. On the
other hand, he said, political parties and NGOs are also responsible
for the people's unwillingness to fight corruption.
Hoktanyan explained that The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 is a
survey of 114,000 people in 107 countries and it shows corruption is
widespread. The survey was conducted by WIN/GIA and its subsidies in
the period from Oct 2012 up to Mar 2013. The report does not cover
Belarus, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The survey was
held only in 8 towns in Kyghyzstan. 27 per cent of respondents have
paid a bribe when accessing public services and institutions in the
last 12 months, revealing no improvement from previous surveys. Still,
nearly 9 out of 10 people surveyed said they would act against
corruption and two-thirds of those who were asked to pay a bribe had
refused, suggesting that governments, civil society and the business
sector need to do more to engage people in thwarting corruption. 36
countries view police as the most corrupt, and in those countries an
average of 53 per cent of people had been asked to pay a bribe to the
police. 20 countries view the judiciary as the most corrupt, and in
those countries an average of 30 per cent of the people who had come
in contact with the judicial systems had been asked to pay a bribe.
The Global Corruption Barometer 2013 shows a crisis of trust in
politics and real concern about the capacity of those institutions
responsible for bringing criminals to justice. In 51 countries around
the world political parties are seen as the most corrupt institution.
55 per cent of respondents think government is run by special
interests. Around the world, people's appraisal of their leaders'
efforts to stop corruption is worse than before the financial crisis
began in 2008, when 31 per cent said their government's efforts to
fight corruption were effective. This year it fell to 22 per cent.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=401A8EF0-E93F-11E2-904A0EB7C0D21663