In principle Slovak politicians are intouchable during the investigation of possible corruption in practice and, moreover, their statues of limitations, including corruption offenses, run at the same time. The probability that political corruption cases end by convictions and sentences is very low. According to Transparency International Slovakia (TIS) statues of limitations for government representatives should be suspended during the function of the high-ranking officials. After the performance of functions the investigators didn´t have enough time to prove any corruption of politicians. Read the rest of this entry »

Every fourth Slovak household, handling any problem last year  in health care, gave the bribe. Further, the most frequent experience was with bribery on land offices (15.8%), offices offering certificates and licenses (15.6%) and courts (14.8%). It resulted from the survey Global Corruption Barometer 2010 conducted by Transparency International Slovakia, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Fund and the British Embassy in Slovakia. Read the rest of this entry »

The Conference called “Global Anti-Corruption Day Conference” is symbolically held on The World Day of against Corruption celebrated on 9th December. Read the rest of this entry »

International Film Festival in cooperation with Transparency International Slovensko prepared debate and several introductions to the films about corruption, which launched today’s introductory discussion at 11:00 at the Hotel Carlton with directors Srdjan Knezevic, Alexandru Solomon, Károly Makk and Pablo Trapper. Gabriel Sipos, Pavel Nechala, and Peter Gogola, from Lesy SR  joined the discussion with closer look at the issue of corruption in Slovakia. The discussion was led by artistic director Matthieu Darras. Read the rest of this entry »

Sala, Banska Bystrica and Martin have the most open self-governments in Slovakia for 2010. The least open are Zlate Moravce, Smizany and Krompachy. Transparency International Slovakia (TIS) carried out this evaluation which was based on the scale of anti-corruption measures but also on the quality of information that towns provide on their websites and on replies to formal information requests under Freedom of Information Act. Read the rest of this entry »

According to the latest edition of the world most cited corruption index, Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Slovakia continues to decline. According to the index measuring the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 2009 on a scale from 0 (most perceived corruption) to 10 (least perceived corruption), Slovakia has achieved a score of 4.3. Total occupied the 59th-61st place of 178 surveyed countries, and compared to previous year declined by 5 bars. Read the rest of this entry »

Transparency International Slovakia introduced more than 80 specific recommendations for the electoral programs of candidates for mayors and councilors before the upcoming local elections. The aim of the recommendations is to make local government more transparent and more resistant to corruption pressure.

Press release (in Slovak) RECOMMENDATIONS (in Slovak)

The town of Prievidza, in cooperation with Transparency International Slovakia since September 2010, cooperates on developing anti-corruption strategies in the town of Prievidza. In the Slovak conditions after the town of Martin it is the second stronger local government efforts to limit systemic corruption and enhance transparency.

In the coming months TIS will realize an audit of selected policies of the town, and then prepare and propose Prievidza comprehensive package of anti-corruption measures. We assume that the development and proposal of a package of anti-corruption measures by TIS will be followed by its introduction into the practice itself Prievidza.

Currently, audit is designed to diagnose an existing condition of transparency, openness and quality of anti-corruption mechanisms in Prievidza policies. Audit regards the 18 town policies, which concern areas such as sales and property rental, filling of vacancies and positions, procurement, access to information on the functioning of government, ethics, elected representatives and town staff , transparent land planning, the allocation of housing and others. TIS assumes the end of audit in November 2010, audit report will be presented to the general public.

Government program statement reflects an ambition to reduce levels of corruption and increase transparency in the public sector in Slovakia. It is compatible with the recommendations of the TIS and reflects election promises of the government coalition parties.

Statement includes all areas which according to the TIS are key in combating corruption and for which prepared its own recommendations (March 2010): civil service, subsidies and EU funds, the Law on free access to information, public procurement, the judiciary, territorial authorities, funding of political parties and politicians, health, police and media. Some are well beyond the recommendations.

The key responsibilities of the Government are primarily disclosure of all contracts, invoices and financial transactions relating to the public on the Internet as a condition of their effectiveness, the introduction of electronic auctions as a mandatory form of procurement, access to public inspection at the sale, hiring and procurement, the disclosure of all court decisions on the Internet and making the electronic recording of all hearing.

TEXT OF THE PRESS RELEASE (in Slovak)

With regard to state aid for flood victims Transparency International Slovakia (TIS) recommends the government to publish detailed rules for granting aid, the list of applicants, a list of approved recipients, reason and amount in euros on the website immediately after the approval of contributions. Although at least one thousand posts have been approved, the list is still not publicly available.

The award must be made within a very short time in order to be effective as it counts with approximately 18,000 beneficiaries. According to published information mayors, district offices, headquarters of Labour, Social Affairs and Family as well as ministries participate on the elaboration and approval of lists. Thus there is a risk that not all the contributions actually go to the families affected by floods.

TIS concerns result from multiple corruption scandals of the ruling coalition, the increased politicization of government and disinterest to prepare an effective anti-corruption program. Moreover, Prime Minister Robert Fico has publicly declared that the equivalent grant applications will prefer their own mayors or sympathizers.

Current published lists of beneficiaries will allow public scrutiny, particularly at the municipal level, whether the public funds are allocated fairly, efficiently and on time.

Gabriel Sipos, director of Transparency International Slovakia

On May 31, 2010, Conservative Institute of M.R. Stefanik presented Programme Statement for Reform Government. The publication outlines core pillars for any new government in fourteen areas, points include a balanced performance in general government finances, cost cuts, elimination of corruption, market liberalisation, elimination of the EU subsidy policies, fostering of competition, and strengthening personal responsibility rather than reliance on the state.

The publication was prepared by Conservative Institute of M.R.Stefanik, Transparency International Slovakia, F.A.Hayek Foundation, M.E.S.A. 10, Health Policy Institute, INESS and other experts.

Program in the area of corruption and transparency includes maximalization of access to information on public administration performance, minimalization of bureaucracy and discretionary powers, effectiveness of control bodies, police and courts, as well as public control.

A comparison of pre-election programs of all 18 candidate parties has shown that SaS and SDKÚ-DS are the parties with the highest quality programs in the fight against corruption. Together with two parties KDH and Most – Híd (3rd and 4th place) offer sufficiently extensive programs to reduce the level of corruption in Slovakia in case of participation in the government.

Programs of the other parties contain only the minimum of draft measures and refer to a general reference of the need to do something. ĽS-HZDS, which according to opinion polls has the best chance to get into Parliament, is the party with the weakest public anti-corruption program. (Click on the table right)

At average, the most elaborate area was the judiciary, which according to the parties absent greater transparency (publication of judgments, recording the hearing) and quality of judgments (a stricter and more open selection of judges, evaluation of judges) in accordance with the recommendations of the TIS. The second best covered area was the access to information where disclosure of all contracts relating to public finance dominates between proposals in a user-friendly database on the Internet. However, the parties at least specifically devoted to the problem of corruption in the activities of local and regional authorities and completely ignored the need to tighten controls and establish an independent oversight of the party financing.

In assessing the effectiveness of solutions, we based on recommendations which TIS includes in a document called Anti-corruption minimum 2010.

See the selection of anti-corruption parts of the electoral programs in terms of corruption.

According to evaluation of GRECO, Slovak republic implemented satisfactorily only one of the sixteen recommendations contained in the Third round evaluation report, on which were national authorities noticed two years ago.

Recommendations were related to increasment of transparency in party funding and more complex legal arrangements on corruption incrimination in the Penal Code. In the first area Slovak republic did not fullfil any recommendation, in the second area only one recommendation satisfactorily and three partly.

Press release (in Slovak)

Compliance report on the Slovak republic – Third evaluation round

List of activities of public administration bodies (under Government decision 323/2007 on state policy in fight against corruption) (in Slovak)

Following recent debate about selection the position of chair of the Office for Public Procurement as well as work and functioning of the office TIS instead of political nomination recommends  to select the chair by selection procedure, together with the condition of expertise of candidate in the the field.

In our opinion, in past 4 years no steps to eliminate of corruption in this field was carried out, the same evidence provides actual opinion poll according to which public do not perceive improvement and 3/4 of  respondents are convinced that corruption in public procurement occur often or rather always. The extent of procurement in public sector is approximately 5 mld. annually.

TIS presented 15 measures how to eliminate corruption and increas transparency in public procurement, e.g. to establish responsibility of the office for effectivity of procurement by law, to sum up and make clear legislation and information about tenders and to make e-auctions mandatory.

Press release (in Slovak)