Anti-corruption policy and its implementation in Estonia Kätlin-Chris Kruusmaa Advisor 05.04.2016
Anti-Corruption policy Guided by the Anti-Corruption Act. Activities are planned in the Anti-Corruption Strategy. Ministry of Justice is responsible for: development implementation.
Bribery and extortion or solicitation: Commissions, gifts, hospitality, favors Abuse of power or influence, embezzlement of property or funds, fraud Conflict of interest, nepotism, favoritism, cronyism, influence peddling Incorrect use of privileged information Illegal financing of political parties or campaigns Money laundering Organized crime, mafia, 'protection', kleptomaniac State
Main institutions involved Ministry of Justice as the coordinator of anti-corruption policy Ministry of Finance as the coordinator of civil service ethics infrastructure (training etc) Police and Boarder Guard Board as an investigator (Ministry of Interior) Internal Security Service as an investigator of 6 bigger municipalities and higher officials (Ministry of Interior) Prosecutor s Office Parliament s Committee on the Application of the Anti-Corruption Act (collection of declarations of higher officials) There is no specialised anti-corruption body
Anti-Corruption Strategy 2013-2020 03.10.2013 the Estonian Government approved the new Anti- Corruption Strategy 2013-2020. The strategy has three broader objectives: promotion of corruption awareness; improvement of transparency of decisions and actions; and development of investigative capabilities of investigative bodies and prevention of corruption that could jeopardise national security.
Measures of ACS 2013-2020 To attain those objectives several measures have been planned, including measures: Enhancing awareness of citizens and shaping their attitudes towards corruption; Enhancing awareness and shaping attitudes towards corruption in public sector; Enhancing awareness in private sector and emphasizing the role of prevention; Increasing transparency of law-making and of political decisionmaking; Increasing transparency of the financial contracts and working processes of local governments;
Measures of ACS 2013-2020 Increasing transparency of governmental bodies as well as supporting a culture of preventive anti-corruption policy; Preventing corruption and increasing transparency in relation to public procurements; Increasing transparency in relation to processes with regard to different support measures and (EU) funding; Preventing corruption and undue influence in lawenforcements agencies and courts; Increasing transparency in health-care sector; Enhancing analytical capacities to investigate corruption offences.
Assessment The Strategy s results will be assessed on the basis of: surveys, primarily the questionnaire survey Corruption in Estonia: A survey of three target groups.
Assessment international assessments and recommendations to Estonia (GRECO, OECD, UN, Transparency International).
Corruption Surveys (2004, 2006 & 2010) Three target groups (residents, entrepreneurs, public sector). Three topics: perception of corruption; encountering corruption; ethical. Readiness to offer a bribe in a hypothetical situation has decreased. The number of people having encountered corruption has decreased. The number of residents indirectly encountering corruption has increased. Is accepting gifts corruption? The proportion of residents and entrepreneurs who believe so has increased.
How to prevent the corruption? What are the most effective measures?
Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual, the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. Karl Kraus Austrian writer and journalist
Thank you! Kätlin-Chris Kruusmaa Katlin.kruusmaa@just.ee