The courts of law the past few years imposed minimum penalties on persons convicted of acts of corruption and this refers to fines, to custodial sentences or to bans on holding particular posts. The conclusion derives from a study carried out by the Analytical Division of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) concerning the penal judicial and contravention practice of imposing fines for acts of corruption, related acts and corruptible deeds, IPN reports.
In a press release, NAC says that of the total number of court sentences given in cases of corruption and related cases, in 2018-2020 there were analyzed 987 criminal cases, 777 of which or 79% ended with conviction sentences, 90 cases or 9% with the acquittal of the person, while in 120 cases or 12% the cases were dropped.
In criminal cases, fines were imposed in 73% of the conviction sentences. Of these, fine and jail terms were given in 22% of the analyzed cases, fine and ban on holding particular posts or performing particular activities - in 18%, while fine and both of the aforementioned penalties - in slightly over 5% of the analyzed cases.
Of all the cases of fining in criminal cases concerning acts of corruption and related acts, the fine in 64% of the cases was below the lowest limit set by the penal norm, in 26% was equal to the minimum value, in 9% was equal to the average value, while in 1% was equal to the upper value. In only two cases, the imposed fine was higher than the upper limit (cumulation of offenses). The jail terms and bans on holding particular posts or performing particular activities were also close to the minimum level.
