Nicosia, Cyprus. A new corruption report indicates a deterioration in governance in the north, with most respondents calling corruption a very serious problem and a third of businesspeople reporting bribery to secure services.
Report findings and global ranking
The study was prepared by academics Omer Gokcekus and Sertac Sonan and published by Politis on behalf of the Friedrich Ebert foundation. It placed the north 150th globally with a score of 24 out of 100, down from 26 the previous year, which researchers said reflects a sustained decline over the past five years.
Bribery and business perceptions
The report said two out of three businesspeople believe corruption has increased compared to a year earlier. It found bribery was most prevalent in the allocation of public land and buildings and in the awarding of contracts and licences.
Based on responses from 352 participants, 33 per cent said they had paid a bribe, given a gift, or offered a favour to obtain a service, most commonly to expedite a process or complete a procedure.
Developments since 2020
Sonan said the trajectory has shifted sharply since 2020, citing a steady decline alongside scandals and arrests of high-level officials, which he said has made corruption more palpable.
Trust in institutions and effectiveness against money laundering
Perceptions of integrity across institutions have weakened, with the judiciary and law enforcement remaining the most trusted comparatively, though confidence in both is declining. More than half of respondents said they had no trust at all in the executive, and 55 per cent described it as completely ineffective in tackling money laundering.
Perceptions of corruption and rising tolerance for favouritism
For the first time, respondents ranked high level public officials as the most corrupt group, overtaking cabinet level figures. The report also found tolerance for favouritism is rising, with 19 per cent saying it is acceptable to use personal connections to speed up procedures, up from 5 per cent three years ago.
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