Albania has registered an improvement in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 2022 with an increase of one point compared to the year before, but it still ranks among the most corrupt in Europe.
The EU hopeful scored 36 out of 100 possible points based on information from 13 different corruption surveys and assessments, although Transparency International (TI) said that such fluctuations “are not usually significant.”
“The progress of this hybrid regime in areas such as judicial verification and the strengthening of the Specialised Structure Against Corruption and Organised Crime has been overshadowed by the weakening of media independence and the lack of opportunities for meaningful engagement in decision-making by civil society,” the report states.
Overall, TI warned that “most countries are failing to stop corruption.” The global average score of 43 has remained unchanged for over a decade.
Meanwhile, 26 countries fell to their lowest-ever scores in 2022, while two-thirds scored below 50.
“155 countries have made no significant progress against corruption or have declined since 2012,” TI noted.
The highest score achieved by Albania since TI started looking at corruption in the Western Balkan country was 39 in 2016. It then declined each year until 2019, and it has gone up and down by one point since then. The lowest-ever score was 31 in 2013, at the time the government transitioned from the Democratic Party to the Socialist Party, which has been in power ever since.
But when it comes to rankings, Albania ranks 101 out of 180 countries, putting it among some of the worst performers. It finds itself among Lesotho, Kazakhstan, Panama, and Sri Lanka and is beaten by Moldova, Ethiopia, Columbia and Tunisia.
According to the ranking, Albania, Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, together with Turkey (101), are the most corrupt in Europe, not including the former Soviet States.
North Macedonia improved, rising to 85th (40 points), while Kosovo is in 84th place with 41 points. The least corrupt state in the region is Montenegro, with 45 points, in 65th place.
Top of the list as the least corrupt country is Denmark, with a score of 90, closely followed by Finland, New Zealand and Norway. The worst performer is Somalia, preceded by Syria, South Sudan, Venezuela and Yemen.
“Leaders can fight corruption and promote peace all at once. Governments must open up space. to include the public in decision-making – from activists and business owners to marginalised communities and young people. In democratic societies, the people can raise their voices to help root out corruption and demand a safer world for us all,” said TI’s CEO, Daniel Eriksson.
(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)
Source: euractiv.com
