GFK – Centre for Market Research, Citizens on Corruption and Bribing (Zagreb: GFK, June 2001, December 2003 and January 2004), www.gfk.hr/default.htm TI Croatia: www.transparency.hr Notes 1. Slobodna Dalmacija (Croatia), 7 April 2004. 2. Round Table discussion organised by TI Croatia and the NGO, ‘Club of Journalists’ on 20 May 2004. 3. Novi list (Croatia), 31 March 2004. 4. Statement of Mr Petar Marija Radelj, a member of the Commission for Resolution of Conflicts of Interest in Slobodna Dalmacija (Croatia), 8 April 2004.
Czech Republic Corruption Perceptions Index 2004 score: 4.2 (51st out of 146 countries) Conventions: Council of Europe Civil Law Convention on Corruption (ratified September 2003) Council of Europe Criminal Law Convention on Corruption (ratified September 2000) OECD Anti-Bribery Convention (ratified January 2000) UN Convention against Corruption (not yet signed) UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (signed December 2000; not yet ratified) Legal and institutional changes • At the end of 2003, parliament adopted a new law on public procurement to harmonise existing rules with the European Union, which the Czech Republic joined in May 2004. The law provides for significant changes in the legal framework governing public procurement, but is a missed opportunity in terms of anti-corruption measures. It establishes additional exceptions to procurement rules and limits the filing of appeals against decisions by requiring the payment of relatively high administrative fees and an additional fee that a complainant must pay to submit an appeal. This fee is retained by the control body if it adjudicates there are no grounds for the complaint. • A 19-member subcommittee on corruption was established in the lower house of parliament in October 2003. The new panel will focus on initiating anti-corruption legislation and assessing foreign experiences of anti-corruption strategies. • A new conflict of interests bill was prepared by TI Czech Republic and sponsored by the government in early 2004. The proposal addresses many shortcomings of the current law by requiring officials to regularly update registers of interests and asset declarations. It covers members of parliament and government officials, regional and local politicians and their close family members. Following governmental intervention proposed postemployment limitations were removed. Opposition to this bill is strong. Some mayors, for example, see it as an attack on local government independence. Hot debate over this proposal is expected in late 2004.
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