Fight against corruption priority for developing sound democracy

Jerusalem, 6 February, 2020 (TPS) -- By: MIA

Integrity is key in the fight against corruption, as although rule of law is set to attract investments, it’s transparency and integrity that will convince young people to stay in the county. North Macedonia ranked in the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 13 positions lower than the previous year, so the fight against corruption should be a priority for developing a sound democratic system, underlined Wednesday participants at the Integrity and Anti-corruption Week 2020 event.

The fight against corruption is a long-term process that requires participation of all sectors, so members of the business community, as well as the public sector, students and NGOs took part in Wednesday’s even with the aim of finding a solution to everyday challenges in anti-corruption efforts.

Dutch Ambassador to North Macedonia Dirk Jan Kop underlined at the event the importance of trust, eared by fighting corruption with integrity.

“The name of the game is trust. By starting EU accession talks, we’ll have to trust your institutions, but more importantly, they have to earn the trust of the people,” Jan Kop said.

Integrity, he underlined, is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

“Rule of law will attract investments, but it’s transparency and integrity that will convince young people to stay in the county,” Jan Kop said.

Minister of Information Society and Administration Damjan Manchevski said digitisation currently plays a key role in the fight against corruption.

“Everything humans operate can be corrupted. That’s why digitisation and redesigning the way the system works is key,” Manchevski said.

Transparency can improve the situation and the open finance platform has a crucial role in the fight against corruption.

State Commission for Prevention of Corruption president Biljana Ivanovska said every individual should take part in the fight against corruption.

“Corruption benefits most from the decline of social values. The strategy aims at improving the system of monitoring, strengthening integrity and raising awareness. These are key issues,” Ivanovska said.

Business and economy, she underlined, have been included for the first time in the latest National Strategy for Prevention of Corruption.

The Integrity and Anti-corruption Week 2020, organised by the International Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Dutch Embassy, is taking place Feb. 3-11 in Skopje.