According to Transparency International Hungary (TI) the anti-corruption programme of the government, just released for social debate, is professionally sound, but because of its exclusive focus on government organs, it can only produce partial results. The anti-corruption organization claims that the programme does not create appropriate guarantees for the transparent and efficient use of public money, and disregards the fact that in Hungary corruption pervades the everyday operation of political and business life.

The key for effective anti-corruption action lies in a complex approach to the problem: besides government bodies, the broader environment of corruption must be taken into consideration. The basic conditions for successful action are the reinforcement of trust in the institutional system of executive power; the strengthening of independent controlling institutions; assuring the independence of jurisdiction; and guaranteeing predictable and transparent legislation and law enforcement.

TI welcomes the fact that the writers of the programme went beyond an exclusively criminal law approach and were thinking in terms of values, transparent operation and a practical application of integrity. The anti-corruption organization supports the emphasis on ethical values, as well as the introduction of the Code of Professional Ethics; however, predictable and transparent work organization needs to be established and the necessary capacity is to be provided. TI considers it a progress that the intention has been voiced to ensure more efficient protection for whistleblowers and to reconsider the regulation of lobbying. The organization also supports the idea of incorporating the teaching of basic ethical norms and anti-corruption values into the Hungarian National Core Curriculum.

TI considers as a shortcoming of the draft that it does not enhance the accessibility of information of public interest, as well as its failure to deal with opportunities for wrongdoings arising from the intertwining of state, local governments and the business sector.

‘It would be a great advance if these ideas did not remain on paper, but it is to be feared that for lack of a comprehensive approach the programme will not be able to significantly reduce corruption’, said Noémi Alexa, the executive director of the national chapter of Transparency International in Hungary.