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Transparency International’s 2009 Global Corruption Barometer reflects the views of more than 73,000 people from 69 countries around the world. The survey was carried out on behalf of Transparency International by Gallup International between October 2008 and March 2009. It is the first time Hungary is included in the survey.

Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer is a public opinion survey which explores the general public’s views on corruption, as well as experiences of bribery around the world. According to the survey’s findings, every third Hungarian citizen thinks that the government’s anti-corruption measures are ineffective. Among the countries in the region, the Hungarian government has the worst reputation, while the Austrian government has the best.

According to the Global Corruption Barometer, health services are the most affected by bribery. Health care is followed by land surveying, while utility providers are in third place.

Hungarian respondents regard the private sector (17%) and the political parties (42%) the most corrupt of all. This result reflects the national average. The general opinion concerning the private sector shows a globally growing concern: it is perceived to be corrupt by more than half of the respondents, and regarded as using bribery to shape policies and regulations in companies’ favour.

“The international results show that, due to the economic crisis, people have become more reasonable, but a weak regulatory environment and corporations’ lack of accountability is apparent, as well”, said Huguette Labelle, director of TI. “However, it is also apparent that citizens are ready to support corruption-free corporations. These corporations must be determined to remain corruption-free, and it is also essential to make their financial and other relations with the government more transparent”, added Labelle.

According to the 2009 Global Corruption Barometer’s findings, in the last 12 months, 14% of the respondents paid bribes in some form in Hungary. This is a significant increase if compared with the year 2007, when Gallup reported a rate of 9%. If compared to the data concerning other countries in the region, Hungary is ranked mid-table. In Serbia and Ukraine the rate is 18-17%, while it is only 2-3% in Croatia and Austria.

“It is highly regrettable, though not completely unexpected, that most bribes in Hungary are paid in health care, since there are many problems in that sector, among which the question of bribes is only one of many. GlaxoSmithKline, as the member of the Corporate Supporters Forum, is a determined supporter of a transparent and corruption-free health care sector, to which we also want to contribute”, claimed György Leitner, general manager of GSK.

The number of whistleblowers is still low

The number of whistleblowers is approximately the same as it was in 2007. According to the Global Corruption Barometer, only 3% of the people who encounter corruption report the act. The majority of the citizenry doesn’t think that they will get support after reporting an act of corruption. The majority of the respondents claim, that the systems set up to aid those who want to report acts of corruption are ineffective.

“The government anti-corruption package (which is currently still being drawn up) includes the strengthening of those institutions which receive reports on cases of corruption and the ensuring of the protection of the reporters. If these measures are carried out, and if we can make a more effective detection of corruption, the situation in Hungary will significantly improve”, claimed Noémi Alexa, head of TI’s Hungarian office.

Proposals

The Hungarian results make it clear that if the business and political elite wants to regain the confidence of citizens, it has to act quickly and jointly. “Besides the strengthening of internal control mechanisms, and making the financing of political parties, representatives and campaigns transparent, joint actions are also needed to increase confidence in the two sectors”, added Alexa. TI’s transparency agreements, which make public procurements more transparent through voluntary commitments instead of introducing new rules, have already proven effective in many countries and serve precisely this purpose.

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