Remarks on 4th Annual Corruption Perception Survey

Remarks by USAID Albania Director Roberta Mahoney
2009 Corruption in Albania Survey Launch

April 30, 2009

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to be here this morning to participate in the announcement of the findings of the 2009 Corruption in Albania Survey.

This Survey, prepared by IDRA with funding from USAID, is the fifth in a series of reports on corruption in Albania.  These surveys are tools to help all Albanians better understand the extent and nature of corruption.

As you will soon see from IDRA’s presentation of findings, corruption continues to be a very serious problem.  Fortunately, personal experiences with corruption have fallen but both perceptions and experiences of corruption remain high.  Albanian trust in institutions continues to be low. 

Transparency, as seen by the public, appears to be a critical issue.  The general public, but also public officials, think that corruption is a widespread phenomenon.

Simply put – corruption is a problem and its existence robs Albanians of time, energy, and money that could be better spent on more positive pursuits. 

Here underlies the choice that I believe is in front of every Albanian — to embrace the opportunities and establish a culture of lawfulness, whereby citizens, government institutions, and civil society advocate for accountable and transparent governance, or continue to operate in ways that weaken and undermine good governance and development.

Having been here for less than a year, I have spoken frequently about the progress and tremendous potential that exists in Albania.  Albania is a new NATO member is taking headlong strides towards EU accession, developing infrastructure, and investing in economic reforms.

What is also clear, however, is that corruption – both grand and petty  –  is undermining all that is being gained.

When a citizen must bribe a doctor or nurse to receive treatment, medicines, or even basics like blankets for your loved ones — the gains of hard-working, honest doctors and nurses are all weakened.  Their efforts to deliver quality health care to patients, standardize health information, or increase transparency in health financing, are all lost.

When a citizen must bribe the judge or lawyer to receive a verdict, or a trial is conducted behind closed doors, the efforts of the entire judicial system is undermined and devalued.

When a hard-working citizen must bribe a government official to set up a small business, trust in government is ruined.

Every case of corruption, small and large, undermines the strength of Albanian society.  Each case weakens the links between people – making people less trusting, less open and less willing to invest in public society.

In my travels throughout the country, north and south, east and west, I am constantly reminded of two things: one, how small Albania is, but also how diverse and dynamic a people reside in this country.

At the same time, Albania sits on the edge of a great and powerful economic union – one that is difficult to access and do business with.  This juxtaposition of factors – small country on the edge of the EU – means Albania must be extraordinarily hard working, dedicated, diligent and transparent to be a reliable partner.

The reputation of Albania as a place for corruption must be overcome by a constant, unrelenting public battle against it. Your European neighbors, be they business people, holiday makers, academics, or professional colleagues, must begin to see Albania as a partner country – one with the same goals and ambitions as their own.

Albania cannot remain a place unfamiliar to most Europeans, or where stereotypes remain about corruption.

Instead, Europeans need to see a constant, open and transparent fight against corruption – alongside the very real improvements that anyone can see.

Albania’s recent admission into NATO and its progress towards European Union integration bring with them a number of behavioral standards Albania must honor.

Citizens should hold Government accountable to deliver basic public services.  This is the heart of a democracy.  Democratic institutions cannot exist without that trust.  Governments must EARN trust.

To earn that trust, a Government needs to voice its commitment to reform, it must hold itself accountable for that reform, and it must enforce its rules tirelessly.

Government’s internal checks must oversee actions of public officials and public monies.  And sanctions against corrupt individuals must be publicized and enforced.

An active civil society needs to make sure Government’s good intentions succeed.

The U.S. government cares about this issue, and we, as representatives, are prepared to invest our resources to deal with it.  But, as is so often the case, nothing concrete can be done without the involvement of all people – business leaders, government officials, academics, NGOs, and citizens.  With real engagement come real results.

Corruption can only be lessened when people care about it and fight against it.

In the birthplace of democracy, thousands of years ago, Plato wrote, “Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.” His words are as true and necessary now in Albania as they were then — Albanians must continue to live and demand their freedom from corruption.

That personal experiences with corruption have fallen is good.

To paraphrase: Corruption is possible only as it is allowed by the actions or consent of the citizens.

We hope next year to see that perceptions and experiences have fallen and we hope to see significant improvements.

Thank you very much for your time.