http://www.transparency.org Transparency International Press Releases from across the world on the latest national and international anti-corruption issues. en-GB http://www.transparency.org/var/portal/storage/images/media/images/banners/logo_without_motto_400x88_jpg/160191-1-eng-GB/logo_without_motto_400x88_jpg_rss.jpg http://www.transparency.org http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_nicaragua_uncac http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_nicaragua_uncac National Chapter Press Release, Nicaragua. Nicaragua: Statement by Ética y Transparencia on the urgency for the government of Nicaragua to establish and adopt an efficient and effective review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption Pronunciamiento de Ética y Transparencia sobre urgencia de establecer y adoptar por parte del Estado de Nicaragua un mecanismo de evaluación y seguimiento eficaz y eficiente de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas Contra la Corrupción (UNCAC) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:52:47 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_ukraine_flu http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_ukraine_flu National Press Release, Ukraine. A billion to be spent to fight the flu. The government promises oversight – but by state officials, not independent community representatives On the 3rd of November, the Creative Union “TORO”, the contact group of Transparency International in Ukraine, sent an open letter to the Prime-Minister of Ukraine Yuliya Timoshenko, addressing the lack of transparency in allocation of funds to flu prevention initiatives. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:37:04 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_nis_lebanon_launch http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_06_nis_lebanon_launch The Lebanese Transparency Association (LTA) has launched at a release conference at the Monroe Hotel, its new study the “National Integrity System Study: Lebanon 2009”. The publication consists of an evaluation of 17 Lebanese institutions, and an analysis of transparency, integrity, and accountability within these institutions. An overview of the publication was presented by Gerard Zovighian, Vice Chairman of LTA and Member of the project’s Steering Committee, Nicolas Seris, Program Coordinator at Transparency International-Secretariat, LTA’s Program Director Ms. Gaelle Kibranian, in addition to the Treasurer of LTA’s Board Membe, Yahya Hakim. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:45:25 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_05_g20_st_andrews_meeting http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_05_g20_st_andrews_meeting Transparency International (TI), the leading anti-corruption organisation, calls on the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting this weekend in St. Andrews, Scotland, to include civil society in the new regulatory and oversight institutions to ensure a safer and more responsible global banking system. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:34:15 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_04_ukraine_letter http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_11_04_ukraine_letter Ukraine: An open letter to the prime minister of Ukraine, Yuliya Timoshenko, to address the lack of transparency by the government of Ukraine in its use of the 50 million hryvnas (US $6m), assigned for the purpose of preventing in the state of Californian flue epidemic Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:50:18 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_04_media_adv_doha_2 http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_04_media_adv_doha_2 As a key United Nations meeting approaches involving 141 countries, governments are deadlocked about meaningful monitoring of their compliance with the United Nations Anti-Corruption Convention. The meeting will be held in Doha, Qatar on 9-13 November. Decisions made or avoided there could mark a turning point – for better or worse – in global efforts to curb corruption and its destructive impact on millions of people. The UN Convention is the only global road-map against the systemic corruption that continues to punish the world's most vulnerable. The G-20 communiqué in September called for an effective mechanism to enforce the convention. This is the third attempt to reach an agreement since 2003. A few key governments are resisting measures that ensure country reviews are fair, public and credible. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:41:34 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_03_uncac_worrisome_trend http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_11_03_uncac_worrisome_trend The Algerian government is blocking attendance of an Algerian NGO from an upcoming UN anti-corruption summit. This is a deeply worrying development, according to the UNCAC Coalition, a group of over 200 organisations seeking implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:22:06 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_29_african_leaders_ti_france_fr http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_29_african_leaders_ti_france_fr Transparence-International (France) et Sherpa regrettent vivement la décision rendue ce jour par la chambre de l’instruction de la Cour d’appel de Paris dans l’affaire visant les conditions dans lesquelles un très important patrimoine immobilier et mobilier a été acquis en France par Messieurs Denis SASSOU NGUESSO (Congo-Brazzaville), Omar BONGO ONDIMBA, aujourd'hui décédé (Gabon), et Téodoro OBIANG MBASOGO (Guinée Equatoriale) ainsi que des membres de leur entourage. Les juges d’appel ont en effet infirmé la décision rendue le 5 mai dernier par la doyenne des juges d’instruction en concluant à l’irrecevabilité de la plainte déposée par TI France le 2 décembre dernier . Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:34:06 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_29_african_leaders_ti_france http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_29_african_leaders_ti_france Transparence-International France (TI France) and Sherpa deeply regret the decision rendered today by the Court of Appeal of Paris in the complaint calling into question how an important volume of assets has been acquired in France by Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso (Congo), Omar Bongo Ondimba (now deceased, Gabon), and Theodoro Obiang Mbasogo (Equatorial Guinea), as well as by their relatives. The judges of appeal have undermined the decision rendered on 5 May 2009 by the Dean of investigative judges, thus rejecting the admissibility of the complaint filed by TI France on 2 December 2008 . Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:06:11 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_28_uncac_media_adv http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_28_uncac_media_adv As part of its response to the persistent economic crisis, the G20 called in September for the adoption, this year, of an effective, transparent and inclusive review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption. This important step in the fight against corruption will be negotiated at a meeting with 141 governments party to the convention, to be held on 9-13 November in Doha, Qatar. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:37:41 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_23_cpi_media_advisory_fr http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_23_cpi_media_advisory_fr Transparency International, l’organisation de la société civile au premier plan de la lutte mondiale contre la corruption, publiera comme tous les ans son Indice de Perception de la Corruption (IPC) le 17 novembre 2009. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:35:24 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_23_cpi_media_advisory http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_23_cpi_media_advisory Transparency International, the leading civil society organisation fighting corruption worldwide, will release its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) on 17 November 2009. Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:16:23 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_16_kosovo_ec_report http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_16_kosovo_ec_report National Chapter Press Release, Kosovo. EC Progress Report for Kosovo is disregarded from institutions. No progress in the fight against corruption in Kosovo In a press conference, the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) expressed its concerns with the findings for Kosovo in the Progress Report of the European Commission for the year 2009 and calls for institutions to increase the responsibility for improving the situation. Our major concern is related with the field of corruption and the aspects related to it. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:00:15 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_19_amm_resolutions http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_19_amm_resolutions The prolonged stalemate over an effective mechanism to review the implementation of anti-corruption commitments must come to an end if victims of corruption around the world are to obtain justice, according to Transparency International (TI). Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:36:25 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_19_germany_uncac http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_19_germany_uncac National Chapter Press Release, Germany. UN-Konvention gegen Korruption: Generalversammlung von Transparency International fordert neugewählten Deutschen Bundestag zum Handeln auf The annual general assembly of the international anti-corruption organisation Transparency International, taking place in Berlin this year, calls upon the recently elected members of the German parliament to swiftly tighten the German criminal code regarding the bribery of parliamentarians to remove the main obstruction of Germany's outstanding ratification of the United Nations' Convention on Corruption. In addition, the press release underlines the necessity of introducing a strong review mechanism in Doha. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:09:09 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_15_bih_progress_report http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_15_bih_progress_report National Chapter Press Release, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Corruption progressing, BiH goes nowhere. Progress Report 2009 for BiH showed that anti-corruption efforts have been insufficient, anti-corruption laws are not being implemented, because of which BiH citizens still have to wait in queues for visas According to the latest European Commission's Progress Report, Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet achieved any significant progress in the fight against corruption. Fight against corruption and implementation of anti-corruption standards are one of the conditions that BiH has not met in order for the liberalization of visa regime to be adopted. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:31:16 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_10_bangladesh_yes http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_10_bangladesh_yes National Chapter Press Release, Bangladesh. The annual convention of the Committee of the Concerned Citizens (CCC) and Youth Engagement and Support (YES), the twin forum of anti-corruption activists formed at the initiative of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), was held on 10 October 2009 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, Dhaka. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:35:06 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_13_crisis_conference_media_advisory http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_13_crisis_conference_media_advisory Leading experts and advocates from around the world will meet in Berlin this week to discuss the root causes of the global crisis and ways to instil transparency and accountability as cornerstones of a new financial architecture. This unique dialogue between civil society, government and the private sector, is convened by Transparency International (TI), and aims to analyse the social costs of the crisis and determine the steps required for sustainable reform that goes beyond cash injections and recovery packages. The conference, “Beyond the global crisis: The transparency imperative”, will be attended by representatives from TI national chapters from some 90 countries who will be in Berlin for the organisation’s annual membership meeting. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:45:07 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_12_georgian_ngo_blocked_uncac http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases/2009/2009_10_12_georgian_ngo_blocked_uncac The UNCAC Coalition is extremely concerned about reports that the Russian Federation has taken steps to block attendance of a Georgian NGO at an upcoming UN meeting on corruption. This NGO, the Transnational Crime and Corruption Center-Caucasus Office, had been accredited to attend the two previous meetings of the Conference of States Parties for the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The UN meeting, held biennially, brings together governments signatory to the UNCAC to discuss follow-up activities and processes. The two previous meetings took place in 2006 and early 2008 and the next one will be held in Doha from 9 to 13 November 2009. No NGO has ever been excluded from the Conference of States Parties due to an objection from a government, although in the past an objection was made and then withdrawn. “If this objection stands, it will set a dangerous precedent” said Vincent Lazatin of the Transparency and Accountability Network in the Philippines, a Coalition organisation that was the target of the previous government objection ahead of the first conference on the convention. “It would suggest that arbitrary objections could be made.” Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:48:23 GMT http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_09_france_lobbying http://www.transparency.org/news_room/latest_news/press_releases_nc/2009/2009_10_09_france_lobbying National Chapter Press Release, France. Premières mesures d’encadrement du lobbying au Sénat : les réactions de Transparence-International (France) Gérard Larcher, Président du Sénat, a présenté le 7 octobre les premières mesures retenues pour encadrer l’activité des groupes d’intérêt. Elles devraient entrer en vigueur au 1er janvier 2010. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:49:13 GMT