The Government's measures to fight corruption are based on the triptych of the rule of law, transparency and accountability, said the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, calling on everyone to cooperate and be determined to fight the phenomenon.
In an introductory speech at the presentation of the plan at the Presidential Palace, with the Minister of Justice Emily Giolitis and the Deputy Government Spokesman Panagiotis Sentonas, President Anastasiadis said that the delay in the announcement was due to his desire to make political efforts possible. institutions but also a significant number of Non-Governmental Organizations whose main goal is transparency, accountability and the fight against corruption.
She recalled that she chaired three meetings on 06, 09 November and 02 December 2020, and then the Presidency, at her urging, received a large number of suggestions, from other organized groups or ordinary citizens, a fact that with the pile of other critical problems facing the country (pandemic, economy, Cyprus), contributed to the delay of the planned announcement.
The President referred to actions to be taken such as prevention, education, awareness raising, necessary legislative measures and monitoring and risk assessment.
“I want to emphasize that the problem of effective fight against corruption is not only the work of the executive, but requires strong political will and cooperation of the Legislature, political forces, institutions, NGOs, professional bodies and wider civil society, strong “and an effective institutional framework, mutual respect and especially respect for the institutions in the exercise of powers within the constitutional institutions, with strict adherence of every official, President or independent, to objectivity, impartiality and credibility,” he said.
He also spoke of the need for transparency in comprehensive and documented investigations, in order to avoid the derailment of institutions, independent officials, public figures, or private sector entities and personalities. For this, he stressed, everyone must be very careful, without exception, when they are mentioned or after investigations come to a conclusion.
He also referred to the observance of the code of ethics of the journalistic function. “By that I do not mean that it goes beyond what you should do, to judge us to criticize us, but deviating from the code can often create erroneous images that do not correspond to reality resulting in it being inflated or even degraded there and “where there is corruption,” said the President.
The President of the Republic also expressed the belief that with the cooperation and determination of all, it will be possible to adopt the proposed measures as soon as possible in order to create a strong network for the prevention, protection and fight against corruption.
Gioliti emphasizes that the fight against corruption is a great goal
For ambitious planning that will further strengthen the effort to fight corruption, contributing substantially to the fight against the phenomenon, spoke the Minister of Justice Emily Gioloti, presenting to the President the measures of the Government. A detailed explanation of each measure and what it provides, was given by the Deputy Government Spokesman Panagiotis Sentonas.
Specifically, anti-corruption measures are:
Prevention, education and awareness
- Strengthen the internal control mechanism in the Ministries and Organizations of public law, Independent Services and other bodies.
- Training through programs for public officials and managers
- Signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the academic institutions of Cyprus
- Society awareness actions and zero tolerance for corruption
- Awareness and education of pupils and students on corruption issues
- Youth Declaration against Corruption
Legislative measures
- Establishment of a National Integrity Service
- Establishment of an Independent Committee for Recruitment, Promotion and Transportation for the employees of the Semi-Governmental Organizations and the Local Self-Government
- Institutionalization of mandatory internal mobility of human resources by alternating positions of responsibility over a reasonable period of time
- Establishment of an Anti-Corruption Unit under the guidance of the Attorney General and the Assistant Attorney General.
- Establishment of a Financial Crime Prosecution Unit in the Police.
- Establishment or Strengthening of the Code of Ethics
- Accelerate the administration of justice and modernize the Courts.
- Legislation on corruption and transparency
- Promote and implement certification standards for transparency and integrity
Risk monitoring and assessment
- Establishment of a Scientific Council by Academics and members of civil society with special knowledge
- Establishment of an appropriate mechanism for submitting data, information and complaints, anonymously or anonymously, to the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.
- Publication on an internet platform of the investigations that are carried out and that concern corruption phenomena, favorable treatment and entanglement, of public officials and officials.
- Creation of the national web portal for the collection of information on public procurement, in areas of particular risk, such as health care and public procurement, the decisions of the town council, etc.
- Applying for voluntary membership of our country in the OECD Program for Public Integrity
