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This area provides highlights of the valuable work of the anti-corruption movement, championing a world free of corruption. This month highlights the following stories: |
The Dominican Republic marches against corruption
By Georg Neumann
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Participación Ciudadana, TI’s national chapter in formation in the Dominican Republic, together with 12 other civil society organisations in the country, organised a walk against impunity and corruption at the end of September. Thousands of people showed up to take place in the march, to express their concern for the lack of judicial trials for corruption issues. In the last 25 years, 250 proceedings have been reported to the judicial system in the country of which only 8 have concluded in a definite sentence and only tree people have been convicted by the tribunals. |
The organisers of the walk also highlighted the results of the First National Study About the Cost of Corruption, which revealed that Dominican families had to pay more than 6 thousand millions of pesos (US $180 million) annually for corruption. The study found that low and middle class citizens suffer most from this practice.
After the walk was concluded, the organisers of the event read a manifesto in order to mobilise citizens to fight together against corruption.
Anti-corruption hotline launched in Czech Republic
By Georg Neumann
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On 19 September, a new anti-corruption hotline “199” was launched in Czech Republic. The special three digit code has been assigned to corruption help, similar to three digit codes for police or fire assistance. The service will help citizens obtain access to free legal advice in corruption-related situations. |
The 199 hotline is one of the measures introduced by the Czech Ministry of the Interior as part of the "Government Strategy for the Fight Against Corruption in the Period 2007 through 2011". Transparency International - Česká republika (TI C) won the bid to operate this service during its pilot stage. The Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre currently operated by TI C has acquired professional call centre equipment to handle the expectedly large number of incoming calls.
The new hotline will provide: i. free legal advice to the public in situations involving corruption; ii. qualified advice as to which government institution they should be contacting with their information; iii. help in filing corruption complaints; and iv., in selected cases, the TI C ALAC will file a complaint on behalf of the client.
The total cost of the 199 hotline project is estimated at CZK 1.8 million [US $72, 116]. For more information please see: www.mvcr.cz and www.transparency.cz
Transparency International launches the Corruption Perceptions Index 2007
By Georg Neumann
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On 26 September, Transparency International launched its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2007, with the message that rich and poor countries need to make a concerted effort to stem the flow of corrupt monies and make justice work for the poorest. The CPI 2007 looks at perceptions of public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories - the greatest country coverage of any CPI to date. |
More than 30 of TI’s chapters around the world held national launch events such as discussions and press conferences, highlighting concrete problems in their countries and calling for outstanding reforms and national strategies. Some of these chapters included TI Papua New Guinea, Transparence Maroc and TI’s chapter in Argentina, Poder Ciudadano. In their launch event, TI Georgia gave the government eight concrete measures such as civil society reform and scrutiny of public official’s assets to fight corruption, while TI Korea identified a need for a countrywide ethics infrastructure. TI Malaysia was particularly concerned about large scale public procurement projects run by the government. In Austria, the chapter presented its catalogue of suggestions to fight corruption and commented on the draft of the Ministry of Justice regarding the Anti-Corruption Law 2008.
TI Germany focussed on the responsibility of German companies operated in international markets, highlighting foreign bribery and the supply side of corruption. On this point, TI’s chair, Huguette Labelle, stated: “The bribe money that buys a champagne lifestyle for corrupt officials in the poorest nations often originates in multinational companies based in the world’s richest countries – the CPI’s top scorers”.
Detailed information about the CPI can be found here: www.transparency.org/news_room/in_focus/2007/cpi2007