Georgia Improves Position in TI’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2018

Georgia takes 41st place in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 (CPI) which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption according to experts and businesspeople.

In the report, Georgia’s score is 58 out of 100 which is an improvement compared to the 2017 Index, when Georgia had 56 scores and was ranked the 48th.

In the ranking, 100 points indicate the lowest level of perceived corruption while 0 – its highest level.

Georgia does not appear on the list of the countries whose CPI score has changed significantly since 2012. Also, the survey does not reflect the alleged cases of high-level corruption publicized in late 2018 which could have a negative impact on Georgia’s position in the ranking in the future.

Despite the improvement in the field of corruption, the watchdog says that Georgia now faces democratic backsliding, making it both vulnerable to high-level corruption and a country to watch moving forward.

“This downturn is due to a lack of accountability of law enforcement, corruption and political interference in the judiciary, state capture and government-sponsored attacks on independent civil society, among other issues,” the report reads, adding that despite an urgent need to investigate cases of corruption and misconduct in the government, Georgia has failed to establish independent agencies to take on this mandate.

The report reads that according to a recent poll conducted by Transparency International Georgia, 36 percent of citizens believe that public officials abuse their power for personal gain.

“Progress in anti-corruption will continue to stall and reverse if the Georgian government does not take immediate steps to ensure the independence of institutions, including the judiciary, and support civil society, which enhances political engagement and public oversight,” the CPI reads.

The index is prepared based on the research by reputable international organizations, each containing the assessment of the situation prevailing in various countries with regard to corruption.

According to CPI 2018, the level of perceived corruption is the lowest in Denmark (88 points) and the highest in Somalia (10 points).