NordenBladet – Estonia’s ranking in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index remains unchanged for 2022, tying for 14th to 17th place with Canada, Iceland, and Uruguay. The head of Transparency International Estonia, Steven-Hristo Evestus, stated that the lack of change in their position reflects a “slumbering state” and calls for fresh initiatives. Despite gaining 10 points since 2012, the country has been stagnant since 2018 and could perform better.
The Corruption Perception Index evaluates corruption levels in the public sector and policy-making as perceived by foreign experts and businesses, with scores ranging from 0 to 100, with 0 indicating high levels of corruption and 100 representing low levels. No country has achieved a perfect 100. The 2022 Index showed that most nations have failed to progress in the fight against corruption, with over two-thirds of countries scoring lower than 50 out of 100.
While public access to the business register was established in 2022 to help identify corruption and money laundering risks, initiatives to protect whistleblowers, amend the Political Parties Act, and introduce good lobbying practices have been delayed. This inaction has left the door open for policies to be manipulated, illegal cash flow, and a lack of transparency in policy-making, according to Evestus.
The Corruption Perception Index is based on up to 13 independent studies and expert reports. However, it does not account for private sector corruption or money laundering incidents.
Featured image: The head of Transparency International Estonia, Steven-Hristo Evestus (YouTube)