Tbilisi, 25 January 2017 – In the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2016 study published by Transparency International Secretariat today, Georgia scored 57 points placing it 44^th among 176 countries. According to the 2016 Index, the level of corruption perception is the lowest in Denmark and New Zealand (90 points) and the highest in Somalia (10 points). Georgia's indicator is the best in the regions of Eastern Europe (with the exception of the EU member states) and Central Asia.

CPI, published by Transparency International Secretariat annually since 1995, is based on expert opinions of the level of corruption in the public sector. Since 2012, the study is conducted using a different methodology which allows to compare the results across different years. CPI is prepared based on the studies conducted by different reputable international organizations, each of which contains the assessment of the situation with regard to corruption in various countries.

Georgia's score in the 2016 Index is based on the following studies: Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index, World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey, World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, Global Insight’s Country Risk Rating, Freedom House’s Nations in Transit, Varieties of Democracy Project.

In CPI 2012, Georgia scored 52 points (51^st place), in 2013 – 49 points (55^th place), in 2014 – 52 points (50^th place), in 2015 – 52 points (48^th place).

Compared to the previous year, the improvement of Georgia's index (57 points instead of 52) indicates some (albeit small) progress made by the country with regard to perceived corruption (the change in Georgia's rating is negligible as it can be the result of changes that occurred in other countries). In addition, the fact that Georgia's index in 2012-2016 changed only slightly points to the absence of any substantial progress in terms of the country's anticorruption policy.

In terms of the positive steps recently made with regard to anticorruption policy in Georgia, worthy of note are the important amendments made to the relevant legislation that envisage the creation of the system of monitoring public officials' asset declarations and the improvement of protection for whistle-blowers.

At the same time, in order to ensure subsequent progress in combating corruption in Georgia, other important measures need to be carried out:

• Elimination of informal influence on state institutions, effective separation of public and private sectors;
   
• Creation of an independent anticorruption agency equipped with the authority and resources necessary for the prevention of complex forms of corruption (including corruption-related crimes committed by high-ranking officials);
   
• Ensuring independence and political impartiality of the judicial authorities and law-enforcement bodies;
   
• Establishment of independent, professional public service, free from political influence. Creation of an efficient and transparent system of hiring to and dismissing from public service which would rule out making politically motivated decisions and nepotism in this sphere;
   
• Strengthening institutional independence of oversight and regulatory institutions (for example, State Audit Office, State Procurement Agency, Competition Agency, Georgian National Communications Commissions, Civil Service Bureau) and ruling out politically motivated interference in their work;
   
• Creation of effective anticorruption mechanisms in state enterprises;
   
• Reduction of an extremely high share of simplified procurement in public procurement;
   
• Effective protection of whistle-blowers in practice;
   
• Support to journalists who uncover corruption and appropriate response to the information they disseminate;
   
• Putting the positive amendments made to the anticorruption legislation in 2015 into effect as quickly as possible.