Romania’s challenge: Corruption Perception Index 2023 reveals ongoing struggles in combating public sector corruption

The Corruption Perception Index 2023, launched by Transparency International on a global level, shows that most countries have made minimal or no progress in combating corruption in the public sector and Romania makes no exception. 

The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) reflects how independent experts and business professionals perceive the existing corruption in the public sector in 180 countries and territories. The ranking is compiled by assigning scores from 0 to 100, where zero means “very corrupt,” and 100 means “not corrupt at all.”

In the European Union, anti-corruption efforts have either stagnated or declined in most member states. The EU average has remained constant over the past five years at 64 points.

With a score of 46 out of 100 possible points, Romania continues to be among the EU countries with the weakest performance, alongside Bulgaria (45 points) and Hungary (42 points), reflecting significant deficiencies in the rule of law.

According to Transparency International’s methodology, scores below 50 points are unacceptably low, especially when compared to the regional average. Additionally, changes of 1-2 points from year to year typically reflect the margin of error, especially if these changes are not consistent.

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Romania and the Corruption Index

Compared to 2014, Romania has gained three points, but the progress has not been linear. Between 2014 and 2016, Romania made a leap of five points, from 43 in 2014 to 46 in 2015 and 48 points in 2016. In the following years, Romania lost four points, reaching only 44 in 2019, and has since regained only two points. In 2022 and 2023, the score remains the same, at only 46 points, well below the EU average.

Bulgaria has had a similar trajectory, with scores ranging between 41 and 44 points over the last 10 years. It is worth noting that in 2023, Bulgaria reaches 45 points for the first time. On the other hand, Hungary has consistently declined in the ranking, from 54 points in 2014 to just 42 points in 2023, placing it at the bottom among EU countries.

At the level of EU member states, it has been observed that anti-corruption measures continue to be undermined by the weakening of checks and balances mechanisms designed to ensure control and balance in the rule of law. Furthermore, the approval of new laws and regulations or the establishment of new agencies do not automatically lead to better control over corruption. In many countries, including Romania, there is still a significant gap between the provisions of legislation and how they are implemented. Therefore, constant actions and measures are necessary to improve anti-corruption mechanisms and consolidate public integrity.

At the national level, Transparency International Romania’s recommendations include, among others, updating the legislation in the field of public integrity to address current gaps and inconsistencies in the existing legislation and improve the clarity of regulations in the field of public integrity.