Decision makers who put signatures on official documents are most often involved in acts of corruption in the local public administration in the context in which the local public authorities are the most corrupt institution according to a report by the National Anticorruption Center, the Center’s chief Bogdan Zumbreanu was quoted by IPN as saying in the program “Moldova live” on the public TV channel Moldova 1.
Bogdan Zumbreanu said the illegal transactions with land and buildings and procurement rigging are among the most often offenses committed by employees of the local public authorities. “Corruption is present there where the people want to have easier access to public funds. Evidently, particular amounts are required for the purpose,” he explained.
Bogdan Zumbreanu noted the National Anticorruption Center will make effort for the citizens not to perceive corruption as a phenomenon that is widely spread in the social sphere. “When the citizens daily hear about corruption, the phenomenon of corruption perception is born. The corruption perception index is not equal to the corruption index,” he stated.
The functionary also said the Center aims to educate the population not to take part in acts of corruption. “We intend to establish closer cooperation relations with the Competition Council. In a lot of cases, the deviations committed in the procurement process are not penal in character, but can be classed as cartel agreements,” he noted.
Sergiu Ostaf, director of the Resource Center for Human Rights, said the perception of corruption is directly related to the information environment in which the citizens are, but there is also the own experience that also contributes to the formation of the perception. The information landscape is full of facts about corruption, but the data are not provided in a balanced way. When the contact with public and private institutions determines a lower level of corruption, the perception of corruption will diminish.
