AKEL on the International Anti-Corruption Day

 

Cyprus’ slide in corruption indicators is no coincidence

8 December 2023, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

This year marks twenty years since the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the designation of 9 December as the International Day to raise awareness of the manifestations and consequences of corruption and the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. As stated in the preamble, the Convention – which is a legally binding global anti-corruption instrument – expresses the concern of States about “the seriousness of the problems and threats that corruption poses to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethics and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law”.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of states, including the Republic of Cyprus, have proceeded to adopt and ratify the Convention, as well as other legal instruments to prevent and combat corruption, this global problem has not only not disappeared, but instead remains an insidious scourge that brings a wide range of corrosive effects on societies.

Without ignoring the need for their constant modernisation, preventive measures, the criminalisation of acts such as bribery, influence peddling, abuse of functions and various acts of corruption in the private sector, as well as the framework for international cooperation, are largely theoretically available. It is the willingness to apply them in a comprehensive and absolute manner which, as a result, proves to be limited.

In Cyprus, the dramatic downward spiral observed in recent years in the Corruption Indicators is unfortunately not accidental. Citizens clearly recognise that corruption is a key element of poor economic performance and a major obstacle to poverty reduction and growth. They clearly recognise the serious reluctance and/or unwillingness of the previous and current governments to take meaningful and convincing initiatives against the unjust enrichment of the few at the expense of the many, to end institutional entanglement/interwoven interests, conflict of interest and favoritism/clientelism.

AKEL, expressing our people’s indignation over the ongoing scandals that occupy our country’s political life, the prolonged impunity of those involved in the banking and “golden passports” scandal, the glaring entanglement/interwoven interests and conflict of interest of both the former President of the Republic and members of his Cabinet in the approval of exceptional naturalisations by law firms or other offices linked to the previous government and the tolerance that the present government is obviously showing, will continue to exert pressure for the demonstration of political and institutional will for the stamping out and punishment of all forms of complicity and corruption.

AKEL will persistently continue to work to strengthen the principles of good administration and transparency with a view to restoring our international reputation, given that the misdeeds of the previous government and those from the current government who supported it have caused enormous damage to the name of the Republic of Cyprus.