Corruption Perception Index 2016: Georgia Has Lowest Corruption Rate in Region
Transparency International (TI), a global anti-corruption organization, released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2016 yesterday, January 25th. According to the report, Georgia has the lowest corruption rate in the region.
The CPI gives Georgia a score of 57, ranking it 44th among the 176 countries included in the index. The CPI is considered to be most useful as an indicator in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with the exception of European Union member states.
TI says that over two-thirds of the 176 countries and territories in this year's index fall below the midpoint of our scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average score is a paltry 43, indicating endemic corruption in a country's public sector.
This year’s score is a significant improvement for Georgia. Every year since 2012, the country has hovered at 52 points, with the exception of 2013, when it dipped down to 49. The best ranking the country’s received so far was 48th place in 2015.
In contrast to that, more countries on the list seem to have lost points rather than gained them. “In too many countries, people are deprived of their most basic needs and go to bed hungry every night because of corruption, while the powerful and corrupt enjoy lavish lifestyles with impunity,” said José Ugaz, the Chair of TI.
Although Georgia’s score is a sign of positive growth, TI says further measures need to be carried out here in order to further combat corruption. Specific prescriptions include:
- Informal influence on state institutions should be eliminated and public and private sectors should be effectively separated;
- An independent, anti-corruption agency should be created;
- Independency and political impartiality of judicial authorities and law enforcement agencies should be ensured;
- Independent, professional civil service should be created which will be free from nepotism and political influence;
- Supervisory and regulatory institutions independency should be strengthened;
- Effective, anti-corruption mechanisms should be created in state enterprises;
- Journalists, who reveal corruption facts, should be supported and proper measures should be carried out based on their obtained information.
Corruption perception levels are marked as lowest in Denmark and New Zealand and highest in Somalia, Syria, North Korea and South Sudan.
The Corruption Perceptions Index was established in 1995 as a composite indicator used to measure perceptions of corruption in the public sector in different countries around the world. During the past 20 years, both the sources used to compile the index and the methodology has been adjusted and refined.
The Corruption Perceptions Index aggregates data from a number of different sources that provide perceptions of business people and country experts of the level of corruption in the public sector.
by Thea Morrison