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A New Generation of Russian Corruption
According to the Public Opinion Fund, 55 percent of Russians do not believe that corruption can be defeated, while 34 percent are optimistic about that possibility. The fund has found similar data for the last ten years. The portion of those who believe that “corruption has in creased in the last year or two” has fallen from 74 percent to 46 percent, while those who think that corruption “remains the same” has increased from 12 percent to 31 percent.
In 2002, the enforcement agencies (police and customs) were thought to be the most corrupt. Their share of corruption in the public perception has fallen from 55 percent then to 45 percent this year. The road police (Russian abbreviation GIBDD) are in first place in perceived corruption, rising from 36 percent in 2002 to 52 percent this year. That could be a result of the rapid increase in the number of automobiles in the country. The attitude toward medical and educational institutions has also worsened. They are now significantly more often mentioned among corrupt bodies.
Russian citizens are sharply divided on whether the identification of corruption with a person or agency is in fact a sign of a negative attitude toward the person or agency. On the whole, Russians are extremely tolerant both of those who demand a bribe and those who give bribes. Younger respondents are more tolerant of corruption. Grigory Kertmen of the Public Opinion Fund commented that, “The further establishment of corrupt practices in Russian daily life seems like a more natural development than their eradication.” It is unclear so far how the government will take these findings into consideration in the formation of its anticorruption campaign, which it has been promising to launch since 2005.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 28, 2008
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Photo: Ivan Makeev
