DRAFT CORRUPTION MEASURES REVEALED

 Filenews 12 November 2020 - by Nikoleta Kourousi

The draft package of measures prepared by the Government to combat corruption reveals eyenews. The design under the title "State of Law - Transparency - Accountability" concerns an update of the Horizontal Action Plan, prepared by the Ministry of Justice and Public Order and approved by the Council of Ministers on 15 May 2019, with a view to implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

This draft has been sent to the political parties and their positions are expected by 20 November, so that the package of proposals will then be presented by President Anastasiades.

It is also noted that the plan has a duration of five years and will be evaluated annually.

 The project aims to improve the political, economic, social and legislative environment through coordinated actions in 3 main pillars:

1st pillar: Prevention of Corruption: With the aim of reducing the opportunities for corruption and preventing its causes, through continuous Education and Awareness, horizontally of society and at all levels, information is sought on the relevant issues, with a view to changing behaviour and mentality, strengthening society's sense of demanding good management and accountability, pushing society to resist and prevent corruption and strengthening the framework for the participation of non-state actors.

2nd Pillar: Legislative Modernisation by strengthening and exploiting the legal framework against corruption, with the aim of shielding justice and strengthening control mechanisms by strengthening anti-corruption tools and achieving more effective and rapid repression procedures

3rd Pillar: Supervision and Risk Assessment, establishment of structures to monitor and monitor the progress of the implementation of the planning and effectiveness of measures to comply with good governance and accountability rules.

- As regards actions relating to the first pillar, i.e. the prevention of corruption, they are as follows:

1) Adoption of the Action Planning by the Council of Ministers and information of all government agencies and other stakeholders in December 2020.

2)Substantial strengthening and effective operation of internal control units in all Ministries, Public and Wider Public Sector Organisations (semi-state and others), Independent Services and other stakeholders, during January 2021.

In addition, the promotion of:

A. The establishment of contact points, hereinafter referred to as The Officers – Liaisons, as well as the operation of a Cyprus telephone complaint and information line in relation to the targeted issues.

B. Mapping structures, responsibilities and areas of action for all actors involved in the prosecution, control and suppression of corruption cases. Create protocols and record procedures to limit the possibility of abuse of potential loopholes in legislation.

3) Campaign to raise awareness and urge society to resist preventing and denouncing corruption.

4) Continuous education and training with specialized training programs and seminars for public and general public sector officials and managers in thematic.

5) Raising awareness & educating students about corruption issues.

6) Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Academic Institutions of the region, with the aim of providing continuous information and developing innovative methods/practices for the prevention and suppression of corruption In January 2021 the Presidency of the Ministry of Education

7) Signing of a Youth Declaration against Corruption, in which a series of actions will be promoted with the final recipients of the Youth and in a way that will make them part of the fight for Transparency.

- The 2nd Pillar, concerning Legislative and Structural Modernisation, includes the following actions, most of which are expected to be implemented in the first quarter of 2021:

1) Establish/Review/Strengthen Code of Conduct by:

A. The Council of Ministers

B. Members of the House of Representatives G. Judges and Public Prosecutors

D. Police

E. In private bodies and organisations

F. In the Public Service

2) Strengthening/Strengthening the regulation of independent and adequate mechanisms for the control of the declarations of assets of Politically Exposed Persons. These include the timely promotion of legislation on corruption and transparency, the acceleration of the administration of justice and the modernisation of the Courts and the establishment of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.

3)Revision, harmonisation and strengthening of the provisions of the instruments relating to acts of corruption in accordance with the recommendations and evaluations of international and European organisations.

4) Strengthening/Strengthening legislation to tackle tax evasion and money laundering.

5) Strengthen the powers and responsibilities of law enforcement authorities to collect and investigate information more effectively.

6) Strengthening legislation to ensure that sanctions against legal persons are effective, proportionate and dissuasive 1st quarter 2021 NDS

7) Review of the provisions of the Penal Code in order to comply with the new perceptions and recommendations of international bodies on corruption issues, such as the deletion from the definition of arbitrary act of the phrase 'infringes the rights of another' in Article 105.

- With regard to the 3rd pillar of action, i.e. supervision and risk assessment, it is noted that it includes the following actions:

1)Preparation of an Annual Progress Report against Corruption by all Agencies and Ministries, which will be submitted to both the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority and the Council of Ministers, with continuous action January 2020 to January 2024 Independent Anti-Corruption Authority Internal Audit Units.

2) Re-establishment of the Anti-Corruption Coordinating Body which:

(a) Undertakes the ongoing evaluation of the action plan being drawn up.

(b) Advise the PDR in relation to weaknesses and omissions, or best practices to be adopted.

(c) It shall consider the recommendations and recommendations of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.

(d) Delivers to the PDR an annual progress report and evaluation of the performance/implementation indicators of the actions within the December Presidency.

3) Establishment of a special Advisory Committee by academics and NGOs on the subject under the Minister of Justice and Public Order.

4) Voluntary inclusion of our country in the OECD Programme for Public Integrity. It is essentially a question of additional evaluation by the Council to be set up for this purpose, on issues relating to the building of better systems of governance and policy implementation, with a view to further increasing citizens' confidence in the institutions.

5) Collaboration with an approved Audit Firm, which will add Productivity Indicators (KPIs) for each of the actions, undertaking to renew them according to their implementation path. Both the indicators and the implementation path for the entire design will be accessible to citizens through the monitoring programme of the government programme "EXANTAS". It is the intention of each of the actions to set a specific implementation date as well as a responsible body.