Back GRECO President on Anti-Corruption Day: “States must take determined action to protect democracy against corruption”

GRECO President on Anti-Corruption Day: “States must take determined action to protect democracy against corruption”

To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, held every year on 9 December, the President of the Group of States against Corruption of the Council of Europe (GRECO), Marin Mrčela, has issued the following statement:

“Corruption is at the core of many of the challenges democracies face today, from the undermining of democratic institutions to injustices and inequalities.

“In May 2023, the heads of state and government of the 46 Council of Europe member states adopted the Reykjavik Principles for Democracy Declaration committing to secure and strengthen democracy and good governance at all levels in Europe, including by pursuing a relentless fight against corruption, including through prevention, and by holding accountable those exercising public power.

“Against the risk of democratic backsliding, it is crucial that governments prove their commitment and show political will by adopting robust anti-corruption legislation and taking determined action against corrupt practices in all spheres of public life. Effective anti-corruption efforts will help restore the trust deficit that exists between institutions, politicians, officials and citizens. Anti-corruption progress is essential to safeguard democracy and the rule of law.

“Looking ahead, we need to tackle corruption’s impact on the next generations and make youth aware of what is at stake; otherwise, today’s youth will continue to suffer in the future from the damage corruption causes today on our freedoms and prosperity.

“We need to build a society of free individuals guided by integrity principles. We need to involve youth in democratic engagement and anti-corruption efforts.

“Transparency and accountability of those exercising power must be pillars of anti-corruption action. GRECO aims to make a difference by helping states to create a culture of transparency, eliminate opportunities for corruption by closing off loopholes through solid anti-corruption and integrity frameworks, and punish perpetrators.

“In 2025, GRECO will launch a new evaluation round – the 6th - focusing on preventing corruption and promoting integrity in local and regional authorities, the closest to citizens’ everyday lives. We will support local and regional governments across Europe, the United States of America and Kazakhstan in sharpening their tools to combat corrupt practices. They should show zero tolerance for corruption”.

Strasbourg 09/12/2024
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Ever since antiquity, corruption has been one of the most widespread and insidious of social evils. When it involves public officials and elected representatives, it is inimical to the administration of public affairs. Since the end of the 19th century, it has also been seen as a major threat in the private sphere, undermining the trust and confidence which are necessary for the maintenance and development of sustainable economic and social relations. It is estimated that hundreds of billions of Euros are paid in bribes every year. (more)

A word from the President of GRECO

Welcome to this window on GRECO’s world! 
I invite you to use it to look into the work we do with our 48 member States.  We use the dynamics of collective expertise and peer pressure to accomplish action by individual governments that will build durable barriers against corruption and bring to justice those who misuse their position for personal gain to the detriment of society as a whole.

Whether inspired by GRECO’s work, that of others with an anti-corruption agenda or our own experiences and principles, each one of us has a role to play in changing the mind-set to zero tolerance of corruption.

Members of GRECO Bureau

The composition of GRECO's Bureau is the following: Olivier GONIN (Switzerland), Panagiota VATIKALOU (Greece), Vice-President António DELICADO (Portugal), President David MEYER (United Kingdom), Lise CHIPAULT (France), Sorin TĂNASE (Romania) and Alexia KALISPERA (Cyprus).

 BEWARE OF SCAMS

It has been brought to our attention that the name of GRECO is being used for fraudulent purposes. These scams may appear to use letterhead with the GRECO logo, or contain the signatures of actual or fictitious senior GRECO officials, aiming to give the appearance of a legitimate GRECO correspondence.  Sometimes they may include legitimate website addresses to give a veneer of credibility to the scam.

Typically, the solicitations asked potential victims to provide personal information such as signatures or bank account information, and to pay certain advance fees, often described as "processing fees." In return, the potential victim was promised sums of money that the person soliciting the "fees" had no intention of paying. In some cases, those seeking the funds used the names of actual GRECO staff members to sign the letters in order to bolster their credibility.

GRECO, the Council of Europe's anti-corruption body, monitors the way in which its member countries implement the Council of Europe conventions and other instruments at national level. GRECO does not contact members of the public directly by email, telephone, Whatsapp or any other means about specific financial transactions or personal information.

We caution the public to be very wary of these and other similar solicitations that falsely claim to be affiliated with the GRECO. If you have received such a communication, we advise you to immediately terminate that contact.  If you have already paid them money, please contact your local law enforcement without delay.