Tag Archives | Slovakia
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Pharma companies in Slovakia: Uncovering conflicts of interest

Two years ago, the leading German pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim, applied to Slovak authorities for its new anti-diabetes drug, Synjardy, to be covered by health insurance.  Drug manufacturers are keen for their medicine to be covered since it would reduce its price and therefore could sell more. Boehringer estimated in its application that within four […]

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No such thing as a cheap lunch

Investigations and surveys by Transparency International Slovakia show that healthcare procurement is considered corrupt in Slovakia, but over the past years only a handful of cases have been formally investigated and no one has been brought to justice. That is why monitoring procurement in healthcare has become a priority for us and why we decided to […]

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Diagnosis: Healthcare Corruption

Two years ago a doctors’ strike threatened to paralyse Slovak healthcare. Over the previous years, healthcare expenditure in Slovakia had already risen to nine per cent of GDP. And while inefficiencies were widely suspected, the overall message from the strike seemed clear: Slovak healthcare needs more funds. Then at TI Slovakia we calculated that 21 […]

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Corruption is still a problem for Croatia

Croatia becomes EU member number 28 on 1 July. After Tudjman and Milosevic and a bloody war 20 years ago in the Balkans, this is definitely good news for both the European Union and Croatia. The new story of the Balkans started with disintegration 20-odd years ago, but Croatia’s membership is a clear sign of […]

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Abuse of state advertising for political ends in Slovakia

Historically, journalists have been some of the strongest partners in the fight against corruption. Their investigative work as well as the space they give to voices of anti-corruption NGOs has contributed to greater pressure on government leaders to tighten regulations and take a public stand for more transparency and accountability. But in this difficult economic […]

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Making Slovak state companies more transparent

318 A new index measures transparency in state-owned companies. Ján Podhorský was appointed to lead Tepláreň Košice, hundred percent state-owned  heating plant, in August 2010, soon after national elections. Podhorský  was one of the hundreds of politically appointed managers who came to lead state companies after the electoral change. Nothing unusual in Slovakia, where two […]

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From Banana Revolution to Gorilla Election

387 Under the shadow of the biggest corruption scandal in Slovak history, the country’s parliamentary elections on 10 March offer the public an opportunity to get rid of old methods of doing politics in Slovakia. When Iveta Radicova’s government lost a vote of no confidence in the Slovak Parliament over the issue of EU’s bailout […]

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Corruption on the rise in Europe

A public opinion survey finds that corruption is a major problem across the European Union. The survey was published today by the European Commission. Two – thirds of Europeans believe corruption is a major problem in their country. Corruption continues to be one of the most important challenges facing Europe, harming the integrity of the […]

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Alice Harrison

Update from Santo Domingo: Launching the Global Corruption Report

Climbing the steps in Hotel Meliá’s lobby, I was faced with two options. To my right, double doors opened onto a large conference room abuzz with men in suits. ‘Opportunities and Incentives for Hydrocarbon Exploration in Central America and the Caribbean’ read the sign on the door. To my left, Transparency International’s (TI) Dominican chapter, […]

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ENIS map

Corruption in Europe: Taking the pulse, prescribing reform

Paul Zoubkov and Helen Turek talk about Transparency International’s Europe wide initiative to improve national anti-corruption systems. Good governance, accountability and rule of law are among the key hallmarks of a healthy society, and yet right across Europe, there is a deep sense of frustration that key national institutions and actors are not living up […]

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