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Too little transparency in new Czech law on political party financing

By on 10 May 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government, Region

The Czech parliament is currently considering a new law to increase transparency in how political parties are funded. This should have been a reason to celebrate, given that Transparency International Czech Republic and other non-governmental organisations have been working on this for the past two years. But the law could and should have been so [...]

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Whistleblowing in Greece: an alternative to silence

By on 8 May 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, Whistleblowing

In September 2012, the US Internal Revenue Service awarded Bradley Birkefeld with US$104 million, as he provided prosecutors with detailed information about the “consultating services” that UBS AG offered to rich clients, thus enabling tax evasion. Within two months, new legislation on whistleblowers’ protection for federal employees came up by the US President Barack Obama. [...]

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No one has all the answers: the positive role of civil society in Russia

By on 6 May 2013 in Civil society, Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government

Last week the Moscow City Prosecutor’s Office sent to Transparency International Russia an official warning to register as a foreign agent. This came because the Prosecutor said TI Russia was shaping public opinion about government policies in the field of law enforcement and had an impact on the adoption by State institutions of laws and [...]

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L’Aquila: Rebuilding lives beyond corruption

By on 19 April 2013 in Cost of Corruption, Europe and Central Asia, G20

While politicians are busy recomposing the puzzle, people are struggling to make ends meet. Citizens are aware of the toll that corruption takes on their present and on their future and the youth is ready to speak up and claim its rights to fair and clean governance, as the following video shows.

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France acts on asset declaration

By on 18 April 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government

Reposted from the Transparency International UK blog. It has been striking how far and how quickly France has moved towards asset disclosure by government ministers in recent weeks, with parliamentarians to follow if a new law is passed. Striking also that when political will exists, galvanised by public outrage, transparency is not so hard to [...]

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Land grab victims speak out

By on 12 April 2013 in Accountability, ALAC, Europe and Central Asia, Impunity, People power

The World Bank singled out Georgia for praise last year for drastically reducing petty bribery: Georgia’s success destroys the myth that corruption is cultural and gives hope to reformers everywhere who aspire to clean up their public services.” I saw a different side to the story when I was in Georgia last month to give [...]

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Armenia: Fighting back at the ballot box

By on 8 April 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, Politics and government

On March 15th the Supreme Court in Armenia annulled the election results from Precinct No. 17/5 in Artashat, where I spent an unforgettable day in mid-February watching ballots being stuffed while I was physically pinned to a wall by a group of thugs. I never thought such overt cheating like ballot stuffing would happen. After [...]

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Iraq’s corruption legacy

By on 3 April 2013 in Cost of Corruption, Defence and Security, Europe and Central Asia, Oil and gas, Politics and government, Poverty and development

$800 million. That’s the staggering amount of money said to be unlawfully transferred out of Iraq every week. Last month marked the ten year anniversary of the start of the occupation of Iraq by coalition forces. The aftermath of war and occupation has been ravaging well after the withdrawal of foreign troops. The US Special [...]

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5 ways to meet an anti-corruption Millennium Development Goal

By on 25 March 2013 in Accountability, Africa and Middle East, Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, People power, Poverty and development, Young people

This week the United Nations is bringing experts and world leaders to Indonesia to debate development priorities beyond 2015, when the Millennium Development Goals expire. Good governance tops the list of what to add to the current eight targets. We want to make certain that good governance and anti-corruption form part of the promises and [...]

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The banks of Cyprus and the pursuit of integrity

By on 20 March 2013 in Europe and Central Asia, European Union, Financial Markets

The bail out of the troubled banking sector in Cyprus has taken on serious political overtones as the crisis deepens. During the past few weeks Cyprus has been accused of failing to combat money laundering and fraud and that Russian oligarchs seek refuge for their money in this “tax haven” country. Now the strongest members [...]

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