The population’s perception that nothing is done to fight corruption remains unchanged owing to the too mild penalties and because the property of those who are convicted of corruption is not confiscated. In the 11th National Anticorruption Conference, vice director of the National Anticorruption Center (NAC) Cristina Tarna said that she is for making the penalties harsher and for confiscating the property of those who are corrupt, IPN reports.
Cristina Tarna said that very good results were achieved also before the suspension of the implementation of the law on the testing of the integrity of public servants. The interest in in integrity standards in the public sector increased suddenly. The National Anticorruption Center was asked to stage over 500 training courses for public functionaries. The number of complaints about acts of corruption increased 70 times.
“A complaint was earlier received once in two months. Afterward, since the coming into force of the law until the suspension of its implementation, we received by 42 complaints a month. For the first time, acts of corruption were denounced by judges. Earlier, no judge reported attempts to give them bribe,” stated Cristina Tarna.
She added that the loud cases last for several years and there are cases when those who are charged are not suspended or dismissed and this gives the impression that the corrupt persons are not punished. “We now have about 80% of convictions in the case of persons accused of corruption. But only 17% of these imply jail terms. Regretfully, one third of those who are convicted are not banned from holding particular posts. They keep their posts during the investigation and trial and return to the post when they serve the sentence. That’s why the people have the impression that these cases are not brought to an end,” said the NAC vice director.
She also said that if conditions are created and there is political will to make the penalties harsher and to impose extended confiscation of property, the people’s perception of the fight against corruption will change.
