COPENHAGEN, 9 December 2023 – Observing International Anti-Corruption Day 2023, which this year marks the 20th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, Vice-President Irene Charalambides (Cyprus), issued the following statement:

“Corruption poses a serious threat to democracy, to growth and to security. It undermines democratic institutions and the rule of law, it erodes citizens’ trust to institutions, their prosperity as well as equality.

Corruption is facilitated by the lack of transparency, accountability and integrity in public institutions. Therefore, to prevent and combat corruption, we must take a multi-pronged approach that includes strengthening transparency and accountability mechanisms, ensure the existence of sufficient checks and balances, adopt whistleblower protection legislation, freedom of information laws, and expand open data initiatives. We must also protect and empower investigative journalism and civil society.

In this effort, synergies with international organizations active in this field are valuable and necessary.

As members of parliament, we need to exercise to the fullest our scrutiny powers, so as to strengthen accountability of other institutions. At the same time, we are obliged to see to our own accountability and the accountability of our political parties.

The OSCE PA must make sure that corruption stays on top of our agenda. Our efforts to strengthen co-operation and synergies with international bodies working to prevent and combat corruption, and also to adopt a binding Code of Conduct for all Members of the OSCE PA, must be stepped-up.

This International Anti-Corruption Day let’s reaffirm our commitment to prevent and combat corruption at all levels.”

For more information on the work of the Special Representative on Fighting Corruption, please click here.