Even if Moldova over the last few years climbed several spots in such rankings as the Human Development Index and the World Governance Index, the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score in 2014 was of only 35 of the possible 100, the country ranking 105th out of 175 countries included in the list. In 2013, the CPI score was the same, Moldova then being the 102nd out of 177 countries covered. Moldova’s score is yet above the CIS average of 29, but much below the EU average of 64, IPN reports.
The Corruption Perceptions Index is based on expert opinions of public sector corruption. More than two thirds of the 175 countries in the 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index score below 50, on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). Denmark comes out on top in 2014 with a score of 92, followed by New Zealand (91) and Finland (89), while North Korea and Somalia share last place, scoring just eight. The CPI 2014 is based on 12 studies made by famous international institutions, eight of which were used in the case of Moldova.
In a press release, Transparency International Moldova says that a number of important anticorruption laws have been yet adopted in Moldova, designed to ensure the independence of judges and to test the integrity of public agents. There was instituted a new offense component – unjust enrichment – that will allow confiscating the property gained by acts of corruption. The penalties for acts of corruption were toughened up, while the ban on holding public posts for those convicted of corruption was extended to 15 years. The legal framework on the declaration of property and personal interests and the activity of the National Integrity Commission started to be reviewed.
However, according to Transparency International, the population didn’t feel radical improvements in the prevention and combating of corruption, including because the authorities do not sufficiently inform the people about the pace of reforms. The implementation of the adopted anticorruption acts is delayed, while the reform in the justice sector meets with resistance from representatives of this sector. Though the recommendations of the GRECO (the Council of Europe's
Group of States against corruption) concerning political party and election campaign funding transparency were widely discussed with civil society and the Venice Commission, their approval was postponed for an indefinite period. The reform of the prosecution service is also put off, while the accusations of corruption made by the political elites are not investigated till the end.
“The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index shows that economic growth is undermined and efforts to stop corruption fade when leaders and high level officials abuse power to appropriate public funds for personal gain,” said José Ugaz, the chair of Transparency International.
Transparency International called on countries at the top of the index where public sector corruption is limited to stop encouraging it elsewhere by doing more to prevent money laundering and to stop secret companies from masking corruption. Top performer Denmark set an example this November, announcing plans to create a public register including beneficial ownership information for all companies incorporated in Denmark. This measure will make it harder for the corrupt to hide behind companies registered in another person’s name. The EU, the US and the G20 nations are urged to follow Denmark’s example.
