On Friday, 15 May 2020 the EU Anti-corruption Initiative (EUACI) together with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) had presented the results of the Standard Corruption Survey "Corruption in Ukraine 2020: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence". The survey among entrepreneurs, experts and the population of Ukraine was conducted during March-April 2020 by the sociological company 'Info Sapiens' with the financial support of EUACI.
The survey aims at monitoring the situation in the field of prevention and the fight against corruption in Ukraine. This survey allows recording the dynamics (increase/decrease) of indicators of the prevalence of corruption and the perception of the effectiveness of anti-corruption actions by the population in the following fields: education, health care, judiciary, law enforcement, patrol police. This survey also includes the administrative services provided by central and local authorities, utilities, public procurement, and private business.
Some of the details of the survey you can find below:
- corruption is the second most crucial problem for the public in Ukraine after the war in the eastern part of the country. Thus, 69% of citizens of Ukraine indicated corruption among the very serious problems of Ukraine. 72.7% of Ukrainians adhered this opinion regarding military actions in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts;
- 44.2% of Ukrainians have faced corrupt practices. Thus, the survey found that most citizens do not have a clear understanding of what practices should be considered corrupt and tolerate some of them. When the question was asked without specifying a particular field, 27% said that they or their relatives had faced corruption during the last year. When asked about individual cases of corruption (for example, extorting "charitable contributions" in hospitals), 44.2% of citizens confirmed that they personally or their family members had faced such practices;
- according to entrepreneurs, the level of corruption in Ukraine has decreased. On a five-point scale, entrepreneurs rated the prevalence of corrupt practices in Ukraine at 4.23 (when answering a direct question). In 2017, this figure was 4.52;
- business representatives and citizens claim Ukraine must overcome corruption in the courts in the first place. This is the opinion of 56.9% of entrepreneurs and 52.2% of the total population.
Executive summary of the study you can find here: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY "Corruption in Ukraine 2020: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence"
The presentation of the study translated in English you can find here: Standard Corruption Survey "Corruption in Ukraine 2020: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence"
"The reform of the NACP has been expected by all participants in the anti-corruption field for a long time. EUACI has supported the reform of the NACP and is proud to have the opportunity to support its development. At the end of 2019, the EUACI supported the work of selection commission conducting a competition for a new NACP Head. Today I would like to note the modern, inclusive approach of the new NACP leadership, which actively involves in its work an active part of Ukrainian society, civil society organizations, experts and international organizations that are part of the country's anti-corruption processes. The survey and its open discussion that is happening today is not a formality, but rather a positive step and foundation to understand the expectations of society. This activity also provides an opportunity to strengthen or adjust appropriate measures aimed at the implementation of a large-scale anti-corruption strategy. That strategy should meet public expectations and current challenges in the field of anti-corruption in Ukraine", - stated Eka Tkeshelashvili, the Head of EU Anti-corruption Initiative (EUACI).
"This study is important because at NACP we are convinced that only objective data on the state of corruption in each area, on changes in corrupt practices can be a solid foundation for building an anti-corruption strategy in Ukraine. NACP is currently developing a National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which will define the actions of all state and local governments for the next four years in the field of corruption prevention. Therefore, this presentation is an informal, first step in building an anti-corruption strategy. This event is an invitation for all participants to a joint discussion of such strategy, which will be presented to the public soon", - noted Oleksandr Novikov, the Head of NACP.
Survey methodology
The survey was conducted according to the methodology of the Standard Corruption Survey on the Situation with Corruption in Ukraine which was developed and endorsed by NACP in 2017 according to the paragraph 5 of article 11 of the Law on Ukraine "On Corruption Prevention". Within this survey, three target audiences were interviewed by face-to-face and phone interviews: population (2516 interviews), business representatives (1093 interviews), experts (98 interviews). The samples do not include non-government-controlled areas: the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. To get the dynamics of the survey, its results are compared with the first wave of the study conducted in 2017 using the same methodology by GfK Ukraine analytical company with the support of OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine.
It should be mentioned that the results of the Standard Corruption Survey supplement the draft National Report on the Implementation of Anti-Corruption Policy Principles to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers annually by the NACP (article 20 of the Law on Ukraine "On Corruption Prevention").
The EUACI is one of the leading international technical assistance programs that is committed to providing technical assistance to achieve full operationalization of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention.ay 2020 the EU Anti-corruption Initiative (EUACI) together with the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) had presented the results of the Standard Corruption Survey "Corruption in Ukraine 2020: Understanding, Perception, Prevalence". The survey among entrepreneurs, experts and the population of Ukraine was conducted during March-April 2020 by the sociological company 'Info Sapiens' with the financial support of EUACI.