Take a deep breath and read the numbers. According to the Eurobarometer, 91% of Cypriots state that the problem of corruption is suffocating Cyprus, compared to the European average of 68%.
A total of 64% of Cypriots believe that corruption has increased over the last three years, while the European average is 41%. Additionally, 86% of Cypriots think there is corruption in national public institutions, and 84% believe the same about local public bodies. The EU averages are 71% and 70%, respectively.
Furthermore, 79% of Cypriots believe that high-level corruption cases are not adequately prosecuted in the country, compared to 65% in Europe. A significant 85% of Cypriots think that the close ties between politics and business are a source of corruption, while 77% (compared to 55% in the EU) believe that the only way to succeed in business is through political connections.
After reading this, it’s hard not to feel disheartened. This is the state of our country. This is the reality we acknowledge internationally. Some may point out that the numbers across Europe are also high.
But that’s of little concern to us—what matters is the state of our own house. On a small island like ours, such a small place, the situation should be far better than on the continent. Being a small society where everything is more easily known, one would expect us to be cleaner. As a small nation, our authorities should be able to more easily identify and punish the corrupt.
Unfortunately, the opposite is true. We’re champions in Europe when it comes to corruption. Some may argue that this isn’t the first time we’ve seen such figures, but we should have worked to improve our country’s image by now, not make it worse year after year.
Let’s focus on this survey because there are some key points that deserve special attention. Firstly, the vast majority of Cypriots believe that the level of corruption has increased over the last three years.
Eighteen percent believe it has remained at the same high level, and only 10% think it has decreased. What does this mean? That the Christodoulides government, in its year and a half in office, has failed to change the public’s perception for the better.
On the contrary, it has worsened. Not because members of the government have been revealed as corrupt, but because the administration has not shown that it has the guarantees to combat corruption, especially at high levels.
Secondly, when asked whom they would trust to report a case of corruption, Cypriots rank the Police first, albeit with a lower percentage (45%) compared to the EU average (60%).
Next is the Anti-Corruption Authority with 23% (12% in the EU), followed by the media with 20% (14% in the EU). In contrast, they rank the Judiciary and public prosecution services (the Law Office) at the bottom, with just 11% (compared to the EU average of 23%). Even lower than the response “no one” (15%).
The dismal rating for the Attorney General’s office comes at a time when it is taking action in the Supreme Court to dismiss an institution that, in all opinion polls (though not included in the Eurobarometer), enjoys exceptionally high approval from the public. The leadership of the Law Office must seriously reflect on this perception, which citizens have repeatedly expressed.
Thirdly, let’s look at the reasons why citizens say they wouldn’t report a case of corruption. They feel it would be pointless because those responsible wouldn’t be punished (43%), there is no protection for whistleblowers (36%), it’s difficult to prove anything (35%), and those who report cases end up in trouble with the police or other authorities (26%). Twenty-two percent think it’s not even worth reporting. You can’t get more disheartening than that!
The message Cypriots are sending is clear: those in power, stop talking and start acting. Primarily, this is directed at Nikos Christodoulides, many of whose pre-election promises are proving to be empty rhetoric. Do you dare use your high office to finally push the authorities to go after the big fish? So far, your track record is negative. If you dare, change it.
Do you dare make radical changes to make the prosecution services effective? Start with the Legal Service. The leadership duo not only fails to convince society but is also accompanied by a veil of suspicion due to their service under the Anastasiades government. You can’t dismiss them, but a President with guts can pressure them to step down. You haven’t shown that you have those guts. If you dare, prove it. Otherwise, you’ll go down in history as the greatest deception of the people…
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