Number 214 | December 10, 2012
Greece was ranked as having the most corrupt public sector of all 27 EU countries according to Transparency International’s annual Corruption Perceptions Index. Data was gathered from 176 countries worldwide to score them on how corrupt their public sectors are seen to be.
According to Anne Koch, Transparency International’s Europe director, the Greek numbers, which put it 14 places below last year, stand out in particular. Greece’s global ranking fell from 80th in 2011 to 94th this year, reflecting the country’s ongoing financial crisis and widespread tax evasion. “Greece is ranked lower than countries like Colombia, Benin and Zambia, which gives you pause for thought," Koch said.
This years global survey ranked Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia as worst overall; while Denmark, Finland and New Zealand were thought of as least corrupt. Turkey ranked 54th this year, improving its position 7 spots from last year.
The global survey, which was first conducted in 1995, draws on a variety of sources that expose perceptions of corruption, including World Bank and World Economic Forum assessments and the African Development Bank's governance ratings. The index is widely credited for putting the issue of corruption on the international policy agenda.
The full table and rankings may be viewed here.
