To mark the International Anti-corruption day, held annually on 9 December, the President of the Group of states against corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), David Meyer, has issued the following statement:
"Corruption destroys citizens' trust in democratic institutions and undermines the rule of law; this is especially true when a perception of impunity spreads in society and ethical conduct is inadequately embedded or insufficiently reinforced.
"Integrity in public life is not an accessory to democracy; it is its foundation. Determined and robust action to prevent and combat corruption, in all its forms and without exception, is essential to ensuring the resilience of democratic institutions and the trust that citizens place in them.
"Democracy requires a culture of integrity and accountability. The influence of individual political leaders in promoting this must not be underestimated. But for it to be the norm rather than the exception, ethical leadership by example must be coupled with effective integrity and anti-corruption systems, transparency, and independent oversight. This combination remains the cornerstone of democratic credibility and institutional legitimacy.
"The findings of GRECO's fifth evaluation round study, assessing our member states' progress in promoting integrity and preventing corruption within central governments and law enforcement, place the fight against corruption at the heart of democratic governance. Almost all countries assessed received recommendations calling for action on anti-corruption and integrity policies; transparency and oversight of activities of central governments and individuals entrusted with top executive functions; prohibitions or restrictions of certain activities; and declarations of assets, interests and liabilities.
"As regards law enforcement agencies, GRECO addressed recommendations in the areas of anti-corruption and integrity policy, recruitment, careers and conditions of service, as well as reporting obligations and whistleblower protection, to the overwhelming majority of the evaluated countries. This affirms that integrity must be integrated institutionally at every level, not merely invoked rhetorically.
"The study helps demonstrate that corruption prevention - and the tools and values that achieve this - , are defining features of resilient democracies. And it provides governments with a clear path to demonstrating their leadership and commitment in this regard.
"Hardwiring integrity into institutions by design, preventing corruption before it occurs, closing loopholes in laws and practices, and ensuring accountability for unethical or illegal conduct are the strongest safeguards against the erosion of public trust.
"Anchored in the New Democratic Pact for Europe, GRECO will continue to assist its member states in strengthening their legal and institutional frameworks to prevent and combat corruption, promoting ethical leadership, and reinforcing accountable institutions that uphold citizens' trust and contribute to democratic security.
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The Group of states against corruption (GRECO) is a Council of Europe body that aims to improve the capacity of its members to fight corruption by monitoring their compliance with anti-corruption standards. It helps states to identify deficiencies in national anti-corruption policies, prompting the necessary legislative, institutional and practical reforms. It comprises the 46 Council of Europe member states, Kazakhstan and the United States of America.
