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2024 Corruption Perceptions Index: Authoritarianism and weakening democracy undermine action against corruption in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Berlin, 11 February 2025 – Extensive corruption continues to plague Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Kleptocratic and authoritarian regimes and weak democratic institutions are stalling meaningful action to address democratic reform, rule of law and climate change, according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released today by Transparency International. With an average score of 35 out of 100, the region ranks well below the global average of 43.

Entrenched corruption and weakening democratic institutions in the region can frequently be attributed to the dismantling of critical checks and balances. Russia (22) has seen its position continue to drop, as it used its invasion of Ukraine to further entrench authoritarianism, with the state suppressing dissent, redirecting resources to sustain its military agenda, and eliminating independent voices. Belarus (33) dropped 14 points in the past four years and mirrors this regression, with over 900 civil society organisations dissolved in 2023.

Corruption in Azerbaijan (22) has hindered climate action, with elites using state-owned fossil fuel enterprises to consolidate power through politically connected contracts. The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) faced criticism for corporate capture, as fossil fuel executives gained undue influence over decision-making, sidelining civil society. An undercover investigation also revealed the COP29 team’s chief promoting fossil fuel deals ahead of the summit.

Altynai Myrzabekova, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Advisor of Transparency International said:

"Entrenched corruption and democratic backsliding are fuelling a cycle of impunity across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Authoritarian regimes are suppressing oversight, the civil society, exploiting natural resources for private gain, and weakening justice systems to avoid accountability. Without urgent reforms to strengthen transparency, independent institutions, and safeguard civic space, corruption will continue to erode governance, economic stability, and fundamental rights across the region."

EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA HIGHLIGHTS

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

  • Among the top scorers are Georgia (53), Armenia (47) and Montenegro (46).
  • Azerbaijan (22), Russia (22), Tajikistan (19) and Turkmenistan (17) have the lowest scores.

CORRUPTION, JUSTICE AND REFORM

Fifteen out of nineteen countries in the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region have stagnated or declined, as governments have failed to implement basic measures against corruption.

  • A weak justice system in Bosnia and Herzegovina (33) has left the country incapable of prosecuting high-level corruption and vulnerable to interest groups exerting undue influence. A half-hearted approach to reforms in Montenegro (46) has resulted in the capture of the judiciary being an ongoing problem, which risks undermining progress made in the country.
  • Serbia (35) continues to decline, with increased executive control under President Aleksandar Vucic and growing corruption risks. The 2023 Novi Sad railway station roof collapse, which killed 15, sparked mass protests alleging government corruption government linked to overpriced renovations and lack of accountability. Additionally, opaque interstate agreements and special legislation for projects like "Serbia 2027" raise concerns about corruption due to weak anti-corruption measures.
  • Some bright spots in judicial reform have emerged like in Moldova (43), which saw an improvement in its score following the creation of a specialized anti-corruption court and wider judicial reforms implemented under President Maia Sandu. In Albania (42), specialised anti-corruption prosecution and courts (SPAK) have convicted former ministers, members of Parliament and mayors, a process which has helped earned citizens’ trust.

Maíra Martini, Chief Executive Officer of Transparency International said:

“Urgent action is needed worldwide to root out corruption which enables theft, misuse of funds, and undue influence. Governments and multilateral organisations must embed anti-corruption measures into every effort—especially climate initiatives—to safeguard funding and restore public trust. Tackling corruption is the key to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring lasting change."

NOTES TO EDITORS

The media page includes the CPI 2024 report, as well as the full dataset and methodology, international press release and additional analysis for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in English and Russian. See here: CPI Media Page.

INTERVIEW REQUESTS

In case of country-specific queries, please contact Transparency International’s national chapters. In case of queries about regional and global findings, please contact the Transparency International Secretariat at [email protected].

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 territories around the world based on perceptions of public sector corruption, using data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks and others. The scores reflect the views of experts and business people, not the public.

The process for calculating the CPI is regularly reviewed to make sure it is as robust and coherent as possible, most recently by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in 2017. All the CPI scores since 2012 are comparable from one year to the next. For more information, see this article: The ABCs of the CPI: How the Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated.