Perception and the spread of corruption in Ukraine

PERCEPTION AND THE SPREAD OF CORRUPTION IN UKRAINE

March 2015

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The study prepared by Information-Analytical Center «RATING Pro»

Socioligical Group «Rating», 2009-2014

On the results of national surveys:

Ukrainian Institute of Social Studies of O.Yaremenko, 2002-2008

International Republican Institute (IRI), 2011-2014

IRIThe International Republican Institute

Perception and the spread of corruption in Ukraine

Ё In assessment of changes’ dynamics in the fight against corruption, the majority believe that the situation quickly deteriorated last year. This is the opinion of 56% in 2014 versus 50% in 2013. In addition, the percentage of those who see positive changes in fight against corruption has decreased by half (from 8% in 2013 to 4% in 2014).

Ё About 30% gave a bribe or made a gift to the public servant for service during last year.

Ё Two thirds consider that corruption is a significant problem (only 1% does not consider that corruption is a problem).

Ё A half attributed corruption to the key problems for the country, and the corruption problem importance gave place only to socio-economic problems, and recently also to the war in Donbas. It is clear that recently the fears of Ukrainians significantly shifted towards the threat of war and poverty.

Ё About 40% believe that only the public power (both at central and at local levels) is affected by corruption, while more than half believe that all the society is affected by corruption. However, in considering the corruption as an important personal problem, only one fifth of Ukrainian respondents consider corruption as such important personal problem.

Ё This means that population understands corruption as an abstract problem affecting all men, but not everyone. The poorest population categories, aged persons, unemployed, people with lower education level believe to much less level that corruption is their own problem.

Ё The problem of corruption perception has strong regional peculiarities. As we go forward to the East and South, the less people tend to treat corruption as a problem of their own. Traditionally paternalistic regions shift responsibility for this problem solving to the government.

Ё On the other hand, as we go forward to the West, the more people concerned about the problem of corruption as their personal.

Ё Corruption in the West is a separate issue for research. On the one hand, here the majority of bribes are recorded, on the other – here corruption is justified to the most extent and it is believed as a mechanism without which the society cannot exist. The corruption “is back to normal”. It is important to note that in the West people talk about corruption more openly, while in the South and East the significant number of refusals to answer is recorded.

Ё The questionable attitude is also at the Centre: here corruption is a disease that prevents the society development, but at the same time here people find excuses for corruption, talk about growth level, but do not recognize the personal practice of bribery.

Ё The corruption understanding is ambiguous: on the one hand it is a disease that prevents the society development (according to 54%) on the other – a mechanism without which the society cannot exist (41%).

Ё This ambivalence flows from the fact that corruption is considered as one of the most effective mechanisms for solving personal problems – the third part are ready to give bribe to official if they believe in positive solution. It is mostly people of younger and middle age, with higher education and higher income, mostly men living in more in cities than in rural areas.

Ё Interestingly that almost 40% justifying corruption when it comes to solving their personal problems, half less (21%) – when it comes to solving issues which are important for the society.

Ё Those who already have experience of providing compensation to address personal issues justify corruption to the most extent.

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Consider them to be corrupt Trust

Police

State Auto Inspection

Courts

Prosecutors Office

Healthcare System

Tax Administration

Customs Service

Education System

Residential Services

Banking System

Social Aid System

Army

Media

Church

52%37%

5%

The whole society(both authorities and public)

All authorities (from central to local)

Only the highest authorities

Corruption affected...

41%54%

The disease which preventspublic development

Mechanism without which society can not exist

Corruption in Ukraine is ...

Justify a bribe if it is necessary to solve the problem which is of great importance for society

Justify a bribe if it is necessary to solve the problem which is of great importance to me personally

21%37%

Justification of corruption

48%

41%

32% 31%

27%

31%Give a bribe to officer if I'm sure he solve the problem

36%

18%

24% 16%

12%

90% 70% 50% 30% 10% 10% 30% 50% 70%


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Ё If 53% supports tougher penalties for those who take bribes, only 21% support tougher penalties for those who give a bribe.

Ё Also, another interesting point: nepotism is considered to be less significant problem than corruption. For Ukrainians it is traditional to solve issues through “connections”, and if the nepotism phenomenon for high power they tend to condemn, at the personal level this problem is usually not recognized.

Ё It appears that one of the key reasons for low efficiency of the fight against corruption in Ukraine is low understanding of public corruption nature. Accordingly, the corruption combating success will depend not only on the specific reforms and the government’s actions, but also on public awareness of personal responsibility for overcoming this problem.

Ё Ukrainian traditionally considered as most corruptive traffic police, police, courts, as well as prosecutor’s offices and health care system. The clear trend was recorded: the more level of understanding that the institution is corruptive, the less level of trust in such institution.

Ё For example, three quarters of the population have no trust in police, the vast majority (64%) believe that the key problem for police is corruption, and only then the low moral level of policemen, high dependence on higher power, low skills level etc. Similarly, among the main actions which may increase the police effectiveness, the majority (60%) see strengthening of accountability for corruption within police. Thus, the main association with the police is corruption, and without this problem solving it will be hard return confidence in the institution. And what can we discuss about citizens safety feeling if people do not trust key agency in this area? The situation is similar with the courts, prosecutor’s offices and other anti-rating leaders.

Ё It is necessary to pay attention also to another issue. According to the majority, the police problems are not new and have arisen either in the USSR times or at the independence beginning.

Ё Similarly, the majority consider the combating corruption methods – in the same old way. First of all, we talk about punitive measures, while instruments such as introduction of the citizens’ evaluation system, election of district inspectors are much less supported. The increase of wages for police offices is at all supported only one in six, judges – only one in ten.

Ё This means, that citizens perceive fighting corruption problem as somewhat one-sided and, again, do not want to share responsibility. It is hardly to understand for many people, why when they are poor, the wages for someone should be raised, especially for workers and institutions associated with corruption. People often do not understand the nexus: the way to overcome poverty is through fighting corruption and methods of struggle should be effective, they must first of all to eliminate opportunities for corruption, minimize corruption component.

Ё Business, in its turn, takes the fight against corruption in a more broad way: the priorities are believed in simplifying licensing systems, bureaucracy reducing and business and government separation.

Ё In today’s conditions the corruption component is one of a mechanism that ensures business implementation, maybe because of this reason the business owners are not willing to support increasing penalties to those who give bribes, offering to eliminate opportunities for corruption, to exclude its possibility rather than to impose punitive measures.

5


Corruption is the most important problem ...

2011 2012 2013 2014

for Ukraine

for me personally 27

2323

28

44

48

5149

Zakarpatska

Lvivska

Volynska

Ivano-Frankivska

Chernivetska

Ternopilska

Rivnenska

Zhytomyrska

Kyivska

Chernihivska

Sumska

Kharkivska

Zaporizka

Dnipropetrovska

Poltavska

Cherkaska

Vinnytska

Khmelnytska

Kirovohradska

Odeska

Mykolaivska

Khersonska

Kyiv

Crimea

Luhanska

Donetska

less important

more important

Other

To increase the powers of supervisory authorities

To combine all the regulatory authorities into a single

To increase control of the media and public organizations

To adopt new anti-corruption laws

To increase the efficiency of regulatory bodies

To reduce bureaucracy, officials

To increase penalties for those who give bribes

To distinguish between business and government

To simplify different licensing system, obtaining certificates

To ensure compliance with laws, rule of law

To increase penalties for those who take bribes

Priority measures to fight corruption

Among those who demands tougher penalties for corrupt officials, only one-third support tougher penalties for those who gives the bribes

53%

50%

27%

26%

21%

20%

19%

13%

13%

9%

6%

2%6


Ё Two-thirds of population support integration with the European Union.

Ё According to the survey results, among the major associations with Europe is welfare (56%), confidence in the future (54%), fair courts (52%), life safety (52%), developed democracy (51%), freedom of speech (49%) and others. Instead, only 6% of Ukrainians associate Europe with corruption.

Ё The same survey showed that among key benefits of Ukraine approach to the EU is a democracy (41%), reducing corruption (39%) and poverty reduction (39%).

Ё However, only 7% see chances of corruption overcoming in Ukraine due to the Customs Union rapprochement, while even among supporters of Customs Union rapprochement, the majority believe that this would not be able to reduce the corruption level in Ukraine. The paradox is that Russia, which is associated with a strong government, army and order, is not really associated with corruption fighting. They expect from rapprochement with Russia primarily the gas prices reducing, believing that cheap gas and not an honest court and corruption fighting will solve poverty problem.

Ё An interesting conception of Ukrainians regarding Belarus, which can be considered as rather stereotyped. This country is also associated with the least corruption (8%), economic crisis, unemployment, the large gap between rich and poor, while at the same time they find this country as having strong power. This is something “between Europe and Russia”.

Ё Specifically, Transparency International and the World bank confirmed that Belarus has better figures for corruption and control acceptance index than in Ukraine and Russia, but much lower than in all European countries.

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Problems that hinder effective police work, %The level of trust in the police,%

36 3539 38 36 35 37

33 3127

32

2228 26 25

22 20 22

15 16 15 1319

5457 55

4854

59 57 5865 66

61

7268 70 70

64

7275

80 7975

81

73

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2012 2011 2013 2014 2015

trust distrust

8%

When had these problems appeared?

Since the USSR

Over the past 10-20 years

18%32%

21%

Over the past 5-10 years

In the last few years

Other

To increase salaries for policemen

The protest action in cases of police arbitrariness

The election of district inspectors by residents

Introduction the system of evaluation the police work by citizens

Recertification and renewal of staff

Increased requirements for employment

Transparency works with citizens

Strengthening responsibility for corruption in the police force

Measures that can improve the effectiveness of the police, %

33

43

59

3

16

19

21

30

32

Corruption64

17 Lack of adequate funding for police

14Inadequate control of the public

14Outdated legislation on police

Inadequate control of the Public prosecution18

Bad technical equipment19

The low level of interaction of citizens with police20

Unprofessional management20

High dependence on politicians22

Low salaries of police officers23

Low levels of training31

34 High dependence on higher authorities

The low moral level of staff39

Distrust of the population39

10 Too soft laws that restrict the rights of police

4 Other


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Perception and the spread of corruption in Ukraine