Transcript Corruption in Russia

CORRUPTION
IN RUSSIA
Corruption in Russia is a significant problem that impacts the lives of
Russia’s citizens. Russia is on the 133th place out of 176 (tied
with Comoros, Guyana, Honduras, Iran, and Kazakhstan) in
the Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency
International. According to some expert estimates, the market for
corruption in the country exceeded US$240 billion in 2006. The
Russian think tank Indem estimates that bribes accounted for 20%
of Russia's GDP as of 2005.
According to a poll conducted in early 2010, 15% of
Russians reported to have paid a bribe in the past 12
months. The overall amount of bribes in the Russian
economy during the last decade skyrocketed from
$33 billion to more than $400 billion per year, according
to Georgy Satarov , former aide to Boris Yeltsin.
Former president Dmitry Medvedev has made fighting
corruption one of the top agendas of his presidency, and
has launched an anti-corruption campaign.
History
For a long time, the corruption of officials in
Russia was legal: up to 18th century,
government officials had lived through
"kormlenie" (кормления - "feedings" – i.e.
resources provided by those interested in
their area of business).
Since 1715, accepting a bribe in any form
became a crime, as officials began to receive
fixed salaries. However, the number of
officials under Peter the Great had increased
so much that salaries came to be paid
irregularly, and bribes, especially for officials
of lower rank, again became their main
source of income. Soon after the death of
Peter, the system of "kormlenie" was
restored and fixed salaries only returned
with Catherine II. The salaries of civil servants
were paid in paper money, which in the
beginning of the 19th century began to
depreciate greatly in comparison with
metallic money. Insecurity within
the bureaucracy again led to increased
corruption.
In Soviet Russia, bribery was considered a counterrevolutionary activity, and the Criminal Code in 1922 made it
punishable by death.
According to a survey conducted in 2006 63% of Russians had a
negative or highly negative view on taking bribes, but only 51%
had the same views on giving bribes (with 37% being neutral on
this issue). At the same time 38% percent had a negative or highly
negative view on reporting about the cases of corruption to the
police.
On 20 November 2009, the State Duma adopted a law "On
general principles of public service delivery and
performance of public functions", which allows officials to
make the citizens pay for "public services" and "public
function". According to the authors of the law it is intended
to make it easier for the citizens and organizations to have
the public services delivered for them; however, according
to the Russian parliamentary opposition
parties CPRF and LDPR, this effectively legalizes
corruption.
Statistical evaluations
In modern Russia, it is widely accepted that corruption is one of the main
obstacles to the country's economic development. In 2006, the First
Deputy of the Prosecutor General of Russia reported that according to
some expert estimates, the market for corruption in the country
exceeded US$240 billion. According to INDEM fund, this number is
even larger: in the business sphere alone in Russia, corruption volume
increased from US$33 billion to US$316 billion between 2001 and 2005
(not taking into account corruption on the levels of federal-level
politicians and business elites). The average bribe that Russian
businessmen offer to civil servants increased from US$10,000 to
US$136,000. More than half of adult population has direct experience
in giving bribes.
The 2009 TI study showed that the global financial crisis only
encouraged corruption: in the last year it grew globally by 9%.
Corrupt civil servants and politicians in developing countries,
including Russia, receive annually US$20-US$40 billion in
bribes. According to TI, Russian corruption, as of September
2009, was on par with that in Bangladesh, Kenya, and Syria –
147th place out of 180. According to the Investigation
committee of the Gosprokuratura, the number of registered
bribes grew from 6700 in 2007 to 8000 in 2008. According to
MIA, from January to August 2009, 10 581 cases of graft were
registered – 4% more than a year prior. The level of registered
bribes grew by 13.5% from 15000-219000 rubles.
Anti-corruption efforts
The Russian government recognizes corruption as
one of the most serious problems facing the
country, and has taken steps to counter it.
Fighting corruption has been a top agenda of
President Dmitry Medvedev. An Anti-Corruption
Council was established by Medvedev in 2008 to
oversee the Russia's anti-corruption campaign.
The central document guiding the effort is the
National Anti-Corruption Strategy, introduced by
Medvedev in 2010.
Russia has ratified the United Nations Convention
against Corruption.