TI on ‘Limited Enforcement’ of Anti-Corruption Laws
“While Georgia experienced some important legal improvements, including the introduction of a verification procedure for public officials to declare assets, as well as stronger protections for whistle-blowers, it also saw some setbacks,” the Transparency International wrote in its regional analysis of the 2017 Corruption Perception Index.
“Limited enforcement of anti-corruption laws and regulations, as well as a serious lack of judicial independence hinder forward progress across the country. In addition, multiple allegations of corruption against influential politicians were never investigated,” the anti-corruption watchdog said.
The Transparency International also noted that “this coming year serves as an important opportunity for the government to implement some essential reforms, including the establishment of a much needed independent anti-corruption agency.”
In the 2017 Corruption Perception Index, released by the organization on February 21, Georgia’s position has slightly worsened and it ranked 46th among 180 countries with a score of 56 (on a scale where 0 is the worst and 100 is the best result). In 2016, Georgia’s score stood at 57, and it ranked 44th among 176 countries.