Cypriots see bigger rise in corruption than EU counterparts – Transparency report
Cyprus was the EU top country whose citizens believe corruption has increased over the past year according to Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer.
On the index, 65 per cent of Cypriots thought corruption had increased over the past 12 months compared with 51 per cent in Slovenia, the second highest on the list. Across the EU on average 32 per cent thought corruption had risen during the same period.
The survey involved 40,000 participants in the EU 27.
On top of that, the poll found that four out of ten Cypriots used personal connections to access a public service over the past year.
“While bribery rates remain low at seven per cent, we found that around three in ten people [across the EU] used a personal connection to access health care, education and other public services,” Transparency said. This was equivalent to more than 106 million people across the bloc.
Health care is reportedly a hotspot for corruption, which Transparency said was of particular concern during the pandemic when citizens urgently need medical support and vaccinations. Although just 6 per cent of people paid a bribe for health care, 29 per cent of EU residents have used personal connections to receive medical attention, the survey found.
The survey involved 40,000 participants in the EU 27.
On top of that, the poll found that four out of ten Cypriots used personal connections to access a public service over the past year.
“While bribery rates remain low at seven per cent, we found that around three in ten people [across the EU] used a personal connection to access health care, education and other public services,” Transparency said. This was equivalent to more than 106 million people across the bloc.
Health care is reportedly a hotspot for corruption, which Transparency said was of particular concern during the pandemic when citizens urgently need medical support and vaccinations. Although just 6 per cent of people paid a bribe for health care, 29 per cent of EU residents have used personal connections to receive medical attention, the survey found.