The Anastasiades-DISY government has failed miserably to combat corruption
AKEL on International Anti-Corruption Day
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 8 December 2018, Nicosia
December 9th has been designated by the UN as International Anti-Corruption Day. According to the International Organization, every year, over $ 1 trillion is changing hands in the form of bribes, and it is estimated that over two and a half trillions are being stolen through corruption. This amounts to approximately 5% of the world’s GDP.
According to estimates and reports released by international organizations such as the World Bank and the OECD, corruption in Cyprus has deteriorated in recent years.
According to a report released recently by the World Bank with regards Governance Indicators, the Anastasiades’ government records a downturn in relation to key indicators. In the index concerning the Rule of Law, Cyprus fell from the 35th position in 2012, to the 43th in 2017 and as for the table concerning the Control of Corruption Cyprus fell from 32nd to 46th.
Following the World Bank, the OECD and the European Parliament, as a result of separate investigations they had conducted, rank the Republic of Cyprus among the countries whose policies granting passports are at high risk, that is to say they can be exploited by people for money laundering. At the same time, repeated press reports in the international press refer to Cyprus as a black money laundering country.
On all these issues, the Anastasiades-DISY government is silent and deaf. Not only is it indifferent to this situation, but through its actions and decisions it is making the situation worse. The Republic of Cyprus has never before had a government acting with such a depreciation towards institutions. It has even reached the point of defending in court the convicted for corruption former Assistant Attorney General whom the government itself had appointed.
For citizens and the Republic of Cyprus this is a misfortune, but the reality is there for all to see and judge. The Anastasiades-DISY government has failed miserably to combat corruption.
