Peculiar Aspects of Development and Corruption Perception Index in Romania

• Author: Georgescu, M.A.
• Position: Petru Maior' University of Tg. Mures, Faculty of Economics, Law and Public Administration
• Pages: 221-226

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 6 (55) No. 2 - 2013

PECULIAR ASPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT

AND CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX

IN ROMANIA

Maria-Ana GEORGESCU1

Abstract: Following the increased public awareness of the seriousness of

corruption and the signals from the international community, Romanian

society has done some progress in this direction but the Corruption

Perception Index situates the country on an inferior position among UE

countries. This paper analyses the phenomenon in peculiar circumstances,

related with the GDP and poverty level. We verified the relationship between

GDP and CPI in Romania - a country with an important level of poverty in

general and on the labor market in particular. A high rate of economic

growth, associated with a high degree of employment intensity, is a necessary

condition in the reduction of poverty and implicitly, of corruption.

Key words: corruption, economic factors, GDP level, poverty.

1 “Petru Maior” University of Tg. Mures, Faculty of Economics, Law and Public Administration.

1. Introduction

The corruption phenomenon, which has

existed ever since ancient times, has

always been considered one of the most

severe and widespread forms of behavior

which perverts the administration of the

public sector. As Small states, “forms of

malpractice in business and administration

were as common in Greco-Roman times as

today” [13, p. 293]. This scourge severely

affects the social moral values, undermines

the citizens’ trust in the necessity of the

rule of law, of democracy ad of the respect

of human rights, while endangering the

human social and economic progress.

Corruption is a phenomenon which

becomes attached to the legal and

economic mechanisms of society, affecting

its genetic code as a cancer. Unethical

behavior is one of the most dangerous ills

of modern governance, with the potential

to damage public trust in government and

the foundations of democracy [1].

The need to eradicate corruption and

improve the ethical standards of elected

officials and public servants has become a

major issue on the public agenda. As

corruption is an extremely complicated and

interconnected problem, the most effective

solutions to it are often collective [15].

A prosecution structure specialized in

fighting corruption was created in

Romania as a necessary instrument in the

discovery, investigation and bringing to

trial cases of grand and average corruption

- The National Anticorruption Department

(NAD). Through its activity, it contributes

to corruption reduction, supporting a

democratic society embracing European

values. But this phenomenon has to be

assessed in peculiar circumstances, in the