Corruption in Poland continues to improve

In the latest Transparency International Survey for 2012, in which 179 nations took part, Poland was ranked in joint 41st position for incorruptibility, (together with Carribean island of Dominica). Although this places Poland in exactly the same position as in 2011, its ‘incorruptibilty score’ has risen 3 points from 55 to 58, out of a possible 100.

Corruption in Poland continues to decline

This is an ‘acceptable’ result for Poland, which places the nation above their post-communist neighbours the Czech Republic, (49th position, 55 points), and Slovakia, (42 points, 62nd position), and well above the European Union’s most corrupt member state, Greece, (94th position, 36 points). 50 points or more are required to give a nation a reasonably clean bill of health.

Alexandra Wraga, of the non-profit anti-corruption organisation, TRACE, has stated that Poland has made ‘extraordinary strides’ in combating bribery. She likens corruption in Poland to an ‘hour glass’, with bribes being taken at the highest and lowest levels, but a relatively ‘clean’ medium level.

The Polish law-enforcement agencies are believed to have largely eliminated the practice of bribe-taking over recent years, with those tempted to offer illicit payments frightened of dealing with an undercover officer assigned to combat corruption. According to Alexandra, globalisation has also played its part in cleaning up Poland’s business culture, with many companies operating in Poland being more afraid of United States law enforcement, and the British Serious Fraud Office, than domestic crime prevention agencies. She claims that companies with a Polish presence listed on the U.S. and U.K. stock exchanges would rather walk away from any corrupt business deals than face investigation abroad.

A selection of results from the Corruption Perception Index Survey below:

1.  Denmark 90pts

2. Finland 90 pts

3. New Zealand 90 pts

13. Germany 79 pts

17. United Kingdom 74 pts

19. United States 73 pts

41. Dominica 58 pts

41. Poland 58 pts

46. Hungary 55 pts

54. Czech Republic 49 pts

62. Slovenia 46 pts

72. Italy 42 pts

80. China 39 pts

94. Greece 36 pts

174 Somalia 8 pts

Do these results reflect a true picture? Is this survey fair? And how does Szczecin compare with the rest of Poland? Have you ever been offered a bribe? We’d be interested to hear from anyone who wishes to share their experiences.

Warren Whitmore

English editor, A native of the Isle of Wight, Warren has been running the language teaching company, Go! Languages, with his wife Małgorzata, since 1997. A fan of England, Portsmouth F.C. and Pogoń Szczecin, Warren will be contribing articles on football for the Szczecinian.

  

This post is also available in: Polish

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