Transparency International Georgia has recently studied the outcome of the public opinion poll conducted in Spring 2016, concerning the current public stance on the corruption issues in Georgia.

According to the research, approximately 40 percent of the citizens believe that abuse of authority in civil servants for private profit is widely spread. As a result, the percentage showing the issue was increased by 15 units comparing to the outcome of 2015 and by 28 units in difference with the year 2013.

On the question “Is the abuse of authority by civil servants for private profit spread or not?”, the responses were the following:

Approximately 40 percent of the interviewees think that it is definitely spread (15% - highly spread, 25% - rather spread). The findings also show that 11 percent of the citizens consider that this issue is not highly escalated (5% - not at all, 6% - rather not). In the analogic survey of 2013, the responses have shown respectively 12 (3% - highly spread, 9% - rather spread)  and 33 (16% - not at all, 17% - rather not)  percent division of the public opinion on the same question.

The situation on the corruption of the low level e.g the direction of briberies is different. On the question “During last 12 months, were you requested to give bribe with monetary or non-monetary forms, for receiving public service?” 99% of the respondents admit that they were not the subjects of request of bribe.

It is also worth mentioning that the percentage has not changed since 2015 whilst results of 2013 showed only 95 percent of the interviewees who were not asked to give any kind of bribe for the public service.

As we have already stressed out, the index of the corruption of the low level (bribery) still remains on its minimum. However, the increased number of citizens who believe that there is a high level of abuse of authority by the civil servants for the private profit emphasises the importance of enhancement of the anti-corruption law, as well as its mechanisms for execution.

The results of the social research published by TI Georgia in December 2015, on taking executive norms of the anti-corruption law into action, also highlights the tremendous significance of reviewing the above-mentioned strategy.

The research data shows that internal anti-corruption mechanisms of public departments are weak and cannot guarantee the prevention of corruption risks, as well as the conflicts of interest. In order to deal with this issue, Tl Georgia recommends the government to establish an “Anti-Corruption Agency” which will be equipped with respective authority, resources and political independence. TI Georgia has already handed-in the proposal to the Parliament of Georgia but the legislature has not put it on its hearing agenda yet.

The public opinion poll held between 16-28 March, 2016 was conducted by Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC) and ordered by TI Georgia. The overall number of citizens interviewed is 2032 and the possible misapprehension of the results represent approximately 3.2%.