ZAGREB, January 29, 2019 - Transparency International has published its latest report on countries measures by Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in 2018 and it reveals that Croatia's performance continues to worsen, given that the country's latest score of 48 out of a maximum 100 points is by one point lower than in 2017.
Croatia's score measured by CPI in 2015 was 51 points, and 49 both in 2016 and 2017.
Croatia's performance is thus below that the average score of the region "Western Europe and European Union" that stands at 66.
Corruption in Croatia's public sector is perceived as a widespread phenomenon, the organisation says in its comments on Croatia.
The organisation also warns against non-transparent procedures for appointments and decision-making in Croatia and insufficient readiness to tackle corruption scandals or suspected cases of corruption.
Croatia is advised to increase transparency of the work of public sector agencies and to invest considerable efforts to restore public confidence if it wants to halt a negative trend and come closer to the EU average score.
Most countries fail to curb corruption, says TI
Commenting on global trends, Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International, says that "with many democratic institutions under threat across the globe – often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies – we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens’ rights."
"Corruption chips away at democracy to produce a vicious cycle, where corruption undermines democratic institutions and, in turn, weak institutions are less able to control corruption," says Moreira.
The 2018 CPI draws on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, giving each a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
More than two-thirds of countries score below 50, with an average score of only 43, TI reports on Tuesday.
"Since 2012, only 20 countries have significantly improved their scores, including Estonia and Cote D’Ivoire, and 16 have significantly declined, including, Australia, Chile and Malta," read the highlights on the organisation's website.
"Denmark and New Zealand top the Index with 88 and 87 points, respectively. Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria are at the bottom of the index, with 10, 13 and 13 points, respectively.
Cross analysis with global democracy data reveals link between corruption and health of democracies
Full democracies score an average of 75 on the CPI; flawed democracies score an average of 49; hybrid regimes – which show elements of autocratic tendencies – score 35; autocratic regimes perform worst, with an average score of just 30 on the CPI.
"Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage," says TI chair, Delia Ferreira Rubio.
More news on the corruption in Croatia can be found in the Politics section.
