Population considers policemen and customs-house officers as the most corrupted

Population of Moldova considers that policemen and customs-house officers as main professional groups involved in corruption actions. This conclusion was made as result of an opinion survey regarding the attitude towards corruption, made by the Marketing and Survey Institute „IMAS Inc”, and at the request of the Council of Europe the results of the opinion survey were researched by the Independent Research Centre „Vitosha-Research” (Bulgaria). According to executive manager of „IMAS Inc”, Doru Petruti, 44% respondents said that policemen asked directly money or presents. He noted following the policemen, the populations considers as the most corrupted the customs-house officers, doctors, teachers, and less corrupted are bank employees, local counsellors and employees of the centre for Fighting Economic Offences and Corruption (CCCEC). According to Petruti, 35 % of questioned ones noted that when they have addressed along a year to a public servant, the latter one asked directly money, presents or favour. 28% of respondents recognize that they have paid public servants in order to solve their problems, while perception at the level of the society is that 62% of citizens adopt such a behaviour. He also said that 74% of questioned persons said that corruption is a wide known phenomenon in Moldova, 40% are satisfied with bribing in order to solve their problem, and 1/3 of persons agree with successful solving of a personal issue by giving money, gifts or favour to employees you address for. The results of the opinion survey, according to IMAS manager, show that among the population there is a strong feeling regarding the inefficiency of government’s efforts to stop corruption, every second person does not trust main institutions involved in its stopping. The survey set that according to opinion of the majority of the population, the main reasons of corruption in RM are low salaries of public servants, quick enrichment of governors and lack of an administrative control. The Special Representative of the General Secretary of the Council of Europe, Vladimir Philipov, mentioned during the press conference about launching of the opinion survey that corruption issue is in Moldova, it being actual among other states in transition. According to ambassador Filipov, the National Anticorruption Strategy and the Action Plan to it are implemented, and, on the basis of results of 2005, the donors will decide weather to continue the program. Recording – Philipov…donors The survey regarding the perception and the attitude of the corruption phenomenon was done in October – November 2005 for CCCEC with the support of the Project of the Council of Europe PACO Moldova and of the European Commission.