8 hours agoOEAK: Corruption undermines equal opportunities for businesses
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The American Economic Oda in Kosovo on an international day against corruption expresses concern over the declining transparency and low engagement of the country's government and other state institutions in fighting corruption. O The EAK says that despite constant calls for a more efficient fight against this phenomenon, which violates prospects [...]
OECA says that despite constant calls for a more efficient fight against this phenomenon, which affects prospects for sustainable economic development, the rhetoric of commitments dominates the flawed actions in this regard.
The achievement of concrete results in fighting corruption would be concrete evidence of the commitment of institutions responsible for removing a stain that continues to reflect the country in reports of prestigious international and local organisations. Such reports undoubtedly reduce opportunities to attract foreign direct investments, while the year 2018 brings disturbing figures in this direction. The latest American Oda study on perception of corruption has found that over 75% of businesses believe corruption in Kosovo is systemic, while the factors that enable corruption are weak rule of law, lack of political will to fight corruption and lack of legal framework, until over 50% of the businesses surveyed believe the level of corruption has remained the same as five years ago. The study has also found that institutions in which businesses are faced with corruption include the ministries of the line, public enterprises, tax officials, justice institutions and municipalities. The American Oda estimates that an efficient and accounting judiciary would be vital in rooting out corruption, while perception of corrupt justice institutions undermines business confidence and decontains their active role in reporting corrupt actions. Research on perception of corruption has found that only 15% of businesses have reported corruption cases to relevant authorities”, the OECA communiqué said.
The American Economic Oda believes that no other priority would have to overshadow the fight against corruption, since an environment without corruption would offer equal development prospects for small- and medium-sized businesses, would increase opportunities to attract foreign direct investment, and therefore offer real opportunities for new jobs.
