CORRUPTION is rife and widely spread throughout the public sector according to the overwhelming majority of Cypriot participants in the second “perceived corruption” study, conducted by the civic society Transparency Cyprus.
The results of the study were presented yesterday at a press conference organised by Transparency Cyprus and the European Parliament office in Cyprus on the occasion of the World Day against Corruption; which the UN has identified as December 9.
This is the second study carried out in Cyprus by Transparency Cyprus on corruption and transparency in the public sector and was carried out in cooperation with students of the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK).
“86 per cent of the participants felt that corruption was a serious problem in Cyprus while 79 per cent felt that it would get even worse due to the financial crisis” said Professor Maria Kramvia-Kapardi, who presented the study’s result.
The study defined corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain – by politicians, state officials and civil servants – and the acceptance or giving of bribes or other valuables in order to perform a task that one is nonetheless obliged to do.
The most prominent areas of the public sector which are perceived to be corrupt were politicians at national level, officials awarding public tenders and the police force – identified by 93, 92 and 90 per cent of participants respectively.
Figures from the same study in 2010 identified the same categories, albeit in a different order; placing the police ahead with 92 per cent.
Other notable differences from the 2010 study were the increased awareness of the public towards corruption.
Quizzed on the reasons why corruption was prominent in Cyprus, over 80 per cent of participants identified the lack of any punishment and comprehensive attempt by politicians to stop corruption, the lack of meritocracy in hiring in the public sector and the acquiescence of the public.
The overwhelming majority of participants felt it was the responsibility of the government, the political parties and the police to combat and nullify corruption.
A total of 1,521 Cypriot citizens across the Republic participated in the survey between September and October 2011, of which 52 per cent were women, and included participants all age groups between the age of 18 and retirees.
Meanwhile, with Cyprus close to taking over the EU presidency in July 2012, the country must take ’immediate action’ to deal with the problem of transparency, according to a bi-communal initiative, the Open Cyprus Project and the Sociopolitical Studies Institute (IKME)
“The Republic of Cyprus is the only member of the European Union without even a bill regarding access to information,” said IKME project coordinator Orestis Tringides.
He was speaking at a news conference yesterday inviting state officials and the public to take on board the country’s transparency problems and take action before Cyprus takes over the EU presidency.
The Open Cyprus team call on the country’s political leadership and President Demetris Christofias to recognise the transparency problems that result from the lack of legislation and practises for providing information to the public.
They also call for them to take immediate action in the next six months, before Cyprus takes over the EU presidency, so that at least legislation or a bill can be drafted for discussion.
According to a two-year report titled ‘The Right of Access to Information in Cyprus’, compiled by IKME, Access info Europe and the Cyprus EU Association, some 75 per cent of requests for information remain unanswered. Studies conducted in the north show that a similar 76 per cent of requests remained unanswered there.
“This should especially be troubling to the Cypriot authorities considering that the Republic is a recognised EU member state and should be on a better footing than the north,” said Tringides.
