EU PERCEPTION:  Top ranked in terms of corruption, equality, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania

• Florin Roman, PNL deputy: "It means that at this moment the state does not have the ability to react for the phenomenon of corruption"

• Vasile Dîncu, senator PSD: "Through the lens of what is happening, I think that the situation concerning the corruption index in Romania will be worse in the report that will get published early next year"

• Cătălin Predoiu, former minister of Justice in the Orban government: "Fighting corruption only through judicial means is not enough"

With a score of 44 points out of 100, Romania still remains among the countries perceived to be the most corrupt. Romania shares the "top" spot with Hungary and Bulgaria, which have the same score concerning the perception of corruption, according to the report concerning the index of corruption perception for 2020 drawn up by Transparency International. The ranking is made through a score from 0 to 100, where 0 means "very corrupt", and 100 "not at all corrupt".

The perception on corruption in the public system and the business sector in Romania remains unchanged, compared to 2019, just like in the case of Hungary, while Bulgaria is ranked one point higher than last year. Romania has the same score as in 2012, which shows that the measures taken in almost ten years have not been constant and have not succeeded in changing the perception which independent experts and in the business sector have on the corruption in Romania, the quoted document states.

When Laura Codruţa Kovesi was general prosecutor, Romania was perceived as being less corrupt than it currently is, with 48 points out of 100.

Among the causes that keep us on this embarrassing place in the European Digital, the report drawn up by Transparency International "the lack of transparency in public procurement, the underfunding of the medical system and the lack of consistent measures to computerize the administration, which have become worse following the Covid-19 pandemic. The report of the Court of Auditors the acquisitions conducted for combating the pandemic have shown grave shortcomings both in the local and central administration".

"Corrupt practices in companies, which claim that they have integrity policies, have affected the credibility of the business sector, and the campaigns for improving their public image have led to the public becoming less vigilant. Romanian society has significantly lost its courage in sanctioning corruption and the lack of integrity as a general bane and has manifested itself rather sequentially", the quoted document further states.

Transparency International claims that the phenomenon of corruption weakens the healthcare system and contributes to dragging democracy back, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

By analyzing the index of perceived corruption for 2020, it ensues that both Orban governments did not do much to rev up the fight against corruption, even though the PNL claims that it represents a priority for the members of his party, including for the members of the Cabinet.

• Pacts of integrity in public procurement and the computerization of administrative processes - solutions for reducing corruption

Some of the solutions of Transparency International Romania for remedying the situation include:

- promoting integrity pacts in public procurement, independent mechanisms for real-time monitoring of major public works projects and more

- computerization of administrative processes, by establishing the National Compliance Register, which will be able to improve administrative transparency and accountability, contributing to reducing vulnerabilities to corruption in public administration

- transposition into national law of the EU Directive on warning in the public interest at high standards of compliance

- providing support to institutions with an anti-corruption role, in order to increase their operational capacity and effectiveness, including by preserving and improving the regulatory framework

- guaranteeing resources, to ensure the independence of players in the non-government sector and the active involvement in the monitoring of the public sector, as well as of the operations of the major economic players, both national and international

- the systematic development of the culture of accepting constructive criticism and response to feedback

- the initiation of some ranking and rating mechanisms in various sectors to support the leaving from the 40-point deadlock that Romania has been in for over 10 years.

Transparency International Romania reiterates the fact that there is a need for constant involvement from every representative of society, from politicians, public institutions, to the private sector and citizens, each of them having their own role and responsibility in fighting corruption.

European countries which are perceived as being the least corrupt are Denmark (88 points), Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, with 85 points, and Norway (84 points).

The median score concerning the perception of corruption in the 31 countries included in the report (EU members and non-EU members in Western Europe) is 66 points.

Globally, with its 44 points, Romania is ranked 69 out of 180 countries which had their corruption index calculated for them. It is considered more corruption that Malaysia (51 points), Namibia (51 points), Saudi Arabia (53 points), Cuba (47 points), Montenegro (45 points) and Senegal (45 points).