MOLDOVA IS ANNUALLY LOSING 13% GDP DUE TO CORRUPTION - EXPERT-GRUP

Annually, Moldova is losing 8% to 13% of GDP due to corruption, maintains Expert-Grup Center Program Director Dumitru Budeanschi.

In his research, the expert pointed that in terms of money the sum of losses accounts for 11.8 to 17.7 billion lei as of 2016, which exceeds all the state expenditures for supporting pensioners and payment of benefits on social protection.

According to the expert, the level of corruption is the highest at implementation of budget expenditures. Each year, the losses from corruption at execution of public budget were equal to one-half of all the paid pensions. For example, losses due to corruption in the field of public procurement are estimated at 20-30%.

"Corruption is a phenomenon which is highly difficult to be eradicated. It can be efficiently fought only by means of creating strong profile institutions. But the problem is aggravated by the fact that the political class, a considerable part of which is connected with corruption, is responsible for their formation. Besides, corruption would be impossible without wide involvement of ordinary citizens and businesses. Often, the desire of momentary benefit decides the outcome in favor of the unfair transaction", the expert said.

For combating corruption, he proposed to toughen violations for corruption acts, including the establishing of prohibition to occupy posts in public sector to conduct reform in the remuneration system in public sector in order to ensure salary, able to compete with private sector, as well as raise the transparency of political parties.