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Georgia has lowest corruption in Region

By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, January 26
Global Corruption Coalition - Transparency International (TI) released the results of the Corruption Perception Index 2016, which states that Georgia is the regional leader in terms of the low corruption rate.

The results of the reports were presented by TI Georgia on January 25.

Georgia was granted 57 points and was ranked 44th among the total 176 countries, which is the best indicator in Eastern Europe and the Central Asian region, excluding EU member states.

In the Corruption Perception Index of 2012, Georgia had 52 points (51th place), in 49 points in 2013 (55th place), 52 points in 2014 (50th place), and 52 points (48 place) in 2015.

The report of 2016 revealed that the corruption perception level is lowest in Denmark and New Zealand and highest in Somalia, Syria, North Korea and South Sudan.

TI says that despite the improvements, some measures need to be carried out in Georgia, in order to further eliminate corruption:

• Informal influence on state institutions should be eliminated and public and private sectors should be effectively separated.

• An independent, anti-corruption agency should be created.

• Independency and political impartiality of judicial authorities and law enforcement agencies should be ensured.

• Independent, professional civil service should be created which will be free from nepotism and political influence.

• Supervisory and regulatory institutions independency should be strengthened

• Effective, anti-corruption mechanisms should be created in state enterprises.

• Journalists, who reveal corruption facts, should be supported and proper measures should be carried out based on their obtained information.

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) was established in 1995 as a composite indicator used to measure perceptions of corruption in the public sector in different countries around the world. During the past 20 years, both the sources used to compile the index and the methodology have been adjusted and refined.

The Corruption Perceptions Index aggregates data from a number of different sources that provide perceptions of business people and country experts of the level of corruption in the public sector.

This year’s results highlight the connection between corruption and inequality, which feed off each other to create a vicious circle between corruption, unequal distribution of power in society, and unequal distribution of wealth.