Corruption
Eased in Transition Countries From 2002-2005, Reports World Bank
28
de julio de 2006
Targeted
efforts to reduce corruption in former socialist countries are showing positive
results according to a new World Bank report: Anticorruption in Transition 3-Who
is Succeeding … And Why? (ACT3)
ACT3 is the
third in a series of World Bank reports tracking levels of corruption in
enterprise-state interactions since 1999. Like its predecessors, ACT3 draws on
the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS), a joint
initiative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World
Bank.
The triennial
survey, conducted most recently in 2005, covers 26 former socialist countries
and Turkey, as well as five western European comparator countries. The
non-transition European comparators are Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and
Spain. More than 20,000 firms have been interviewed.
“Since 2002,
firms in most countries are paying bribes less frequently and in relatively
smaller amounts, and they report corruption to be less of a problem than in the
past," explains James Anderson, co-author and Senior Economist in the World
Bank's Europe and Central Asia region, "The common assumption that corruption is
steadily worsening does not stand up to scrutiny."
According to
the survey, tax and customs administration have seen the most visible progress.
Bribery in customs has also fallen in many transition countries due to revisions
in customs legislation, often in line with EU standards and with EU assistance.
In contrast, judicial reform was often neglected in the early years of
transition, and corruption in courts does not appear to have fallen overall.
Countries are beginning to address this problem, by raising judges’ salaries (as
in Georgia and Russia), adopting automated case management systems to improve
efficiency and transparency (Croatia), and prosecuting judicial corruption
(Slovak Republic).
"Strong
leadership is a key weapon in the fight against corruption. Every country that
has made measurable progress in reducing corruption has had a strong champion
who made transparency and accountability top priorities," explains Cheryl Gray,
co-author of the study and Sector Director in the World Bank's Europe and
Central Asia region.
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