In 2020, Ukraine gained 3 points and ranked 117th in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 (CPI) out of 180 countries.

“In 2020, Ukraine gained 3 points and, with a score of 33, ranked 117th out of 180 countries. This is our country’s result in Corruption Perceptions Index 2020 (CPI). Egypt, Eswatini (Swaziland), Nepal, Sierra Leone and Zambia also scored 33 points last year,” reads the statement of the Transparency International Ukraine.

The leaders of Corruption Perceptions Index remained the same in 2020 — they are Denmark and New Zealand, both scoring 88 points. At the bottom of the list are Somalia (12), South Sudan (12) and Syria (14).

As Transparency International Ukraine notes, Moldova with 34 points, ranking 115th, has the most similar score to that of Ukraine among the neighbouring countries. “European autocracies Belarus (47 points, 63rd place) and Russia (30 points, 129th place) also improved their scores. Russia is the only neighboring country to lag behind Ukraine. Hungary and Romania still have the same scores as last year — both countries have 44 points and rank 69th. At the same time, last year’s CPI leaders among our neighbors have lost points: Slovakia lost 1 point, and Poland — 2 points,” reads the statement.

Executive Director of TI Ukraine Andrii Borovyk explained that Ukraine’s scores in 2020 primarily grew thanks to the launch of the High Anti-Corruption Court and the reboot of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention.

“Ukraine’s positive results have also been influenced by the anti-corruption changes implemented during the ‘turbo mode’ of the Verkhovna Rada of the IX convocation and the work of the previous government,” he noted.

As noted, at the beginning of 2020, TI Ukraine provided 5 recommendations to reduce the level of corruption in Ukraine; however, not one of them has been fully implemented: 2 have been partly done, and three not done at all.

This year, the TI Ukraine comes up with recommendations which, if treated as a matter of priority, will absolutely increase the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine.

In particular, the organization recommends introducing transparent and accountable management of public assets and guaranteeing further development of the procurement sector; ensuring the independence and capacity of the anti-corruption infrastructure and forming a professional and independent judiciary.

Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a ranking calculated by the global organization Transparency International since 1995. The organization itself does not conduct its own surveys. The Index is calculated based on 13 studies of reputable international institutions and think tanks. 9 sources are used to calculate Ukraine’s score.

The key indicator of the Index is the score, not the rank. The minimum score (0 points) means that corruption actually replaces the government, while the maximum (100 points) indicates that corruption is almost absent in society. The index assesses corruption only in the public sector.

© 2021 Ukrinform News