Source: Blic
Comments
Rodoljub Šabic, Commissioner for Information
Society is faced with huge problems relating to corruption. Citizens suffer because corruption is everywhere - especially in the health system, the judiciary and executive authorities. The economy suffers in particular. Many economic operators are forced into corruption and many more sustained substantial damage or were ruined because they refused it. The scale of corruption is so large that it can be countered only by continual and coordinated cooperation of all competent authorities and bodies. These statements have been presented recently at a meeting of representatives of anti-corruption authorities and bodies of Croatia strongly resemble our situation. Another point raised by the participants was that, because of corruption, their national economy lost $ 1.3 billion every year.And how much does our economy lose? Even the roughest estimation rests on the logical assumption that a country with a higher domestic product, with more inhabitants and with a worse rating on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), in absolute amounts, must sustain higher damage. That is, of course, unless it expediently establishes and develops strong anti-corruption mechanisms. We have a higher domestic product, more inhabitants and worse CPI ranking. As regards our anti-corruption bodies, they have all been working in inadequate conditions for years and two that are vital among them, the Public Procurement Administration and the State Audit Institution, operate in disastrous conditions or have no working conditions at all. Because of the damage, however high it may be, and no less because of the associated embarrassment, this at least should be changed without delay.
