Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index of 2019 is released

Each year Transparency International (“TI”) scores countries and territories on how corrupt their public sectors are perceived to be. The Corruption Perception Index (“CPI”) captures the views of business people and experts in countries around the world.

The 2019 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). This index is widely used to gain general understanding of the level of corruption.

In 2018, Turkey had 41 points out of 100 and ranked 78 out of 180 countries. 2018’s score put Turkey in the decliner’s list with Australia, Chile, Malta and Mexico. In 2019’s CPI; Turkey lost 2 more points, and ended up ranking 91 out of 180 countries. Between 2013-2019, Turkey (11), Hungary (10) and Saint Lucia (16) lost the most points.

Turkey is the second to last among G20 countries and forth to last among OECD countries. In 2013, Turkey was at the top in the East European and Middle Eastern countries list, whereas now Turkey ranks the fifth.

To tackle corruption and reinstate the public’s trust, TI suggests countries manage conflicts of interest, control political financing, strengthen electoral integrity, regulate lobbying activities, tackle preferential treatment, empower citizens and reinforce checks and balances.

It is important to remember that Turkey has comprehensive laws and regulations regarding corruption and also signed and ratified several international conventions on anti-corruption to be in line with the international sphere. These conventions are: The Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption of 27 January 1999, the Council of Europe Civil Law Convention on Corruption of 4 November 1999, the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism of 8 November 1990, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions of 17 December 1997 (including OECD Recommendation for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions), the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime of 15 November 2000.