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The
anti-corruption group Transparency International says close ties between
business and government across Europe have undermined economic stability. It
singles out southern European countries as expecially corrupt.
The 63-page
document showed a "strong correlation" between failure to rein in
public spending and inability to tackle graft.
"This
report raises troubling questions at a time when transparent leadership is
needed as Europe tries to resolve its economic crisis," said Cobus de
Swardt, the organization's managing director in a statement ahead of the
publication.
The report
assessed the situation across 25 European countries and found Greece, Italy,
Portugal and Spain to have serious deficits in public-sector accountability and
deep-rooted problems of inefficiency and malpractice.
It said
that, among the European Union's new members, Bulgaria and Romania continued to
cause the most concern, as the anti-corruption laws they had introduced to
comply with EU demands had not borne fruit.
Transparency
International praised the Denmark, Norway and Sweden for curbing corruption and
found that whistleblowers who draw attention to wrongdoing were well-protected
only in Norway and the UK.
It
criticized Denmark, Germany and the UK for their lack of regulation when it
comes to political party financing. Twelve countries were found to have no
limits on political donations by individuals, and 17 lacked codes of conduct
for members of parliament.
The group
also called on the European Union to set an example by adopting strict rules
for its own institutions. It made wide-ranging recommendations suggesting codes
of conduct for parliamentarians and compulsory registers for lobbying
activities.
Transparency
International is a global network. The non-governmental organization has more
than 90 national chapters and is funded by membership fees and donations.
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