In accordance with the report of the International no-governmental organization Transparency International, which is involved in the monitoring of corruption worldwide, in the situation in 2006, the corruption has reached the critical point worldwide both in the developed and developing countries. Gaining a threatening form the corruption negatively impacts on the socio-economic development, establishment of market economy, attraction of investments and undermines political and public institutions of a democratic state.
"The poorest world countries are the victims of corruption, said Peter Eigen, the President of Transparency International, clarifying that the colossal public funds are squandered and plundered by officials.
The corruption is much developed in Bangladesh (0.4) and Nigeria (1). Spain ranks 22nd place with in East Europe with 7 points, or up than the neighboring France (6.7), Belgium (6.6), Portugal (6.3) and Italy (5.5). Except Estonia 5.6 (28th place), Hungary 5.3 (31st place) and Slovenia 5.2 (34th place), indices of the rest East Europe countries was lower by 5 points. The indices of Russia, Romania, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine were lower than 3 points.
Azerbaijan (2) is also in this list. The corruption remains a serious problem here, which still poses damage to the economic growth, social and political development of the country. Despite many-years-long struggle with such manifestation, its gets deeper into different spheres of economic and political life of the country, terminates every good in its way, which is established by honest people and by this ways leaves a black spot on the entire sector. In accordance with the researches into the non-governmental organizations, involved in intensifying struggle against corruption in the country, health, police, executive power and courts are the most corrupted system in Azerbaijan. According to Ramiz Mehdiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani President's Executive Apparat, Ramiz Mehdiyev, such negative facts exist almost in all universities of the country. In this respect, the State Commission on fighting with corruption, led by Mehdiyev, voiced its decisiveness in the development of its strategy in fighting with corruption, based on the best local and international experience.
Along with the macro-economic factors, (inflation, currency rate and political stability), as well as legislation and size of taxes, court system, law and order and infrastructure, that affect on the investment climate, is the level of corruption in the country. The corruption also hinders the development of entrepreneurship. During the researches held by the Confederation of Azerbaijani Entrepreneurs (ASK), under the project targeting the revealing of data on the state of corruption and struggle with it in Azerbaijan, the corruption comprises 53% of all factors hindering the development of business in 150 business enterprises in Ali-Bayramly, Ganja and Mingachevir.
Legal illiteracy of population in the regions, cancellation of rights for use of legal assistance to lawyers for poverty, self-will of state officers, distrust to law-enforcement and legal bodies, weak development of civil society weaken the struggle with corruption in regions. As a result the citizens and entrepreneurs, who are obliged to deal with the authorities, remain defenseless before organize crime and therefore are in need of additional defense. The facts assert that the country respecting itself is simply obliged in implementing serious researches into corruption in the country and sphere more affected with this disease. It is necessary to develop a mechanism on obtaining of data on corruption, improve cooperation of the bodies intended to fight with corruption, fully set the staff of the Department of the Prosecutor General's Office on fighting with corruption and provide its necessary supply.
The Department for Fighting with Corruption at the Prosecutor's General's Office in May filed 24 lawsuits linked with corruption. 60 people were made answerable, while 10 lawsuits were submitted to the courts.
The chairman of the Accountancy Chamber, Namik Nasrullayev, says that coming across with numerous facts of fraud and corruption in the budgetary sector he revealed that the laws regulating the economic sector of the country have some gaps. These gaps are concerning as they are differently interpreted in the frontier sectors. It really excites corruption. In this respect the Accountancy Chamber initiated the presidential decree on the development of a draft law on State Financial Control in Azerbaijan.
In addition, with respect to establish a legal basis for fighting with corruption, several laws and decrees were signed, state pram was adopted the concrete tasks were put for state bodies. Within the framework of state program on socio-economic development of regions in Azerbaijan, the definite instructions were given for the consolidation of the public control over the expenses and removal of obstacles, put by corrupted officers in the conduct of reforms and development of business in regions.
Respectively, the most important in fighting with corruption is the adoption of ethic code of sate officers, indication of incomes in the declarations to be fulfilled by state officers and finally, definition of penalty for legal entities for bribery, laundry of money and other relevant actions, in line with the CE Convention on Corruption.
Strategy on the legislative and organization measures was effective, while the experience testifies it is still insufficient.
The reasons of corruption should be related to individuals, but the laws must be implemented. One of the major and important terms is to ensure the public awareness, its distraction from indifference, distinctiveness and attraction to the anti-corruption activities. Different events, including workshops and conferences are taken to raise public opinion with respect to eliminate this disease, which damages not only the moral-legal behavior of people, but also the development of society in the country, real state of corruption in the Azerbaijani society.
Struggle with corruption is a long and difficult, but necessary process, and the civil society should be active in this struggle with the government. Perhaps, the joint struggle will enable to eliminate this problem.