11:03, 31 января 2024, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Elena KHOKHLOVA
Transparency International presented its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). In the new ranking, Kyrgyzstan scored 26 points out of 100 and moved one line down compared to last year. This year the republic shares its 141st place with Uganda, Guinea and Russia.
«In just four years, Kyrgyzstan has turned from a bastion of democracy with a vibrant civil society to a consolidated authoritarian regime that uses its justice system to target critics. This is contributing to higher corruption levels, as indicated by the country’s CPI score going down by five points since 2020,» the authors of the ranking say.
As the organization notes, President Sadyr Japarov’s transition to presidential rule has tightened his control over the country. His repressive and authoritarian governing style defies legal procedures and constitutional norms, erodes civil liberties and captures democratic institutions. He has undermined judicial independence from the national to local level, including by influencing critical judicial appointments and the State Committee for National Security (SCNS), which has played a pivotal role in high-corruption cases.
The SCNS has become an opaque tool for repressing political opponents, independent media and critical bloggers.
Undue influence on justice — coupled with the ineffective implementation of anti-corruption legislation — is undermining the rule of law and hindering the effective handling of corruption cases. This fosters a culture of impunity for abusers of power throughout the public sector.
Other authoritarian developments are further eroding accountability. These include a significant decline in government transparency, preventing journalists and the public from exposing wrongdoing, and increasing corruption risks.
Of particular concern, as the experts say, are recent changes in public procurement laws that allow state and municipal enterprises to bypass tender processes and withhold information on their purchases.
Kyrgyzstan’s leaders must urgently recommit to democratic principles, ensure the independence of the judiciary and enforce anti-corruption laws effectively.
Transparency International
Denmark (90 points) takes the first place in the ranking, followed by Finland and New Zealand (87 and 85 points respectively). South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Somalia close the ranking.
Kazakhstan has the best result among Central Asian countries — 93rd place. Uzbekistan is in 121st place, Tajikistan is in 162nd place. Turkmenistan has the worst score in the region and takes 170th place.
The CPI paints a troubling picture of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, an area struggling with dysfunctional rule of law, rising authoritarianism and systemic corruption. The average score of 35 out of 100 makes it the second lowest-scoring region in the world.
«Widespread democratic backsliding and weakening justice systems are undermining control of corruption, as institutions like the police, prosecutors and the courts are often unable to investigate and punish those who abuse their power,» authors of the ranking say.
The Corruption Perceptions Index is a composite index measuring the level of perception of corruption in the public sector in various countries. It is compiled on the basis of surveys of experts and entrepreneurs conducted by independent organizations around the world and is released annually. Countries are ranked on a scale from 0 to 100, with zero representing the highest level of corruption perception and 100 representing the lowest.