Despite the bad impression Poland’s position in the Transparency International
Corruption Perceptions Index has remained unchanged since 1999.
Nevertheless, corruption is not declining but rather growing in several areas. As
a matter of fact, the number of scandals reporting “irregularities” involving
politicians and other public officials has been on the rise for the last two or three
years. So is the discussion of legislation and other measures. Attention shall be
drawn to the fact that the considerably higher number of convictions for
corruption since 1998, as well as the more common presence of corruptionrelated
topics in the media is rather due to greater media activity than thanks to
the effectiveness of institutions of prosecution.
According to several surveys corruption is most widespread in the healthcare
system, judiciary, sub-national governments and central State administration.
Furthermore, it is common in privatisation and off-budget agencies activities,
political party finance, as well as in the tax and customs administration.
Corruption becomes an important issue even in the private sector.
This paper aims to elaborate the impact of the EU accession on the anticorruption
policy. After presenting data and main areas of corruption, the most
important institutions and legislation will be dealt with. It seems that public
procurement is the area the most compatible with EU anti-corruption legislation.
Consequently, this topic will be discussed in detail in this paper. As already
mentioned, corruption in other areas is rather increasing as decreasing. The
reasons and consequences for this development will not be dealt with explicitly
in this paper, for, apparently, the EU accession process has not yet put enough
pressure on authorities to take measures against these widespread practices.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Figures and general aspects
II. 1. The Data
II.2. Perceptions
II.3. Main fields of corruption
III. Measures taken by the government
III. 1. Anti-corruption policy
III. 2. Corruption being a political issue
III. 3. Impact of the EU accession
IV. Institutions and legislation
IV.1. Anti-corruption legislation
IV.2. Audit and control
The Supreme Audit Chamber (NIK)
Internal audit
IV.3. Anti-corruption agencies
Money laundering
IV.4. Ombudsman
V. Public Procurement
V.1. Legislative framework
Conflict of interest
Blacklisting
V.2. Review and audit
V.3. Corruption
VI. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines the state of corruption in Poland and the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures implemented during the country's preparation for European Union accession. The research questions center on how EU integration has influenced legislative and institutional reforms, and whether these initiatives have successfully curtailed corruption in critical sectors.
- Analysis of corruption trends and public perception in Poland.
- Evaluation of governmental anti-corruption policies and legislation.
- Role of institutional bodies like the Supreme Audit Chamber (NIK).
- Examination of the public procurement sector and EU-standard compliance.
- Impact of the EU accession process on national reform agendas.
Excerpt from the Book
II.3. Main fields of corruption
Different perceptions of reality can be found not only in the scale but also in the main areas of corruption. The public opinion survey mentioned above reveals the “ranking” of the following sectors: 67 percent respondents believed corruption is widespread in the health service, followed by judiciary (49 percent), territorial government administration (39 percent), central State administration (25 percent) and the police (23 percent). Whereas parliamentary deputies enumerated customs officers (89 percent), followed by local politicians (63 percent), local fovernment administration (53 percent), national public administration (50 percent), the police (46 percent) and national politicians (38 percent)5.
However, in 2000, the Ministry of Interior and Administration published the following report presenting the following areas: insurance, public enterprises (especially in the energy and food sector), national State and local self-government administration, the banking sector, the health service, privatisation and restitution, control and audit agencies (including tax adminstration, customs control and commercial courts in cases of bankruptcy) and last but not least, public procurement (although this area has been more or less successfully worked on).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Provides an overview of Poland's corruption status and outlines the paper's focus on the impact of EU accession.
II. Figures and general aspects: Examines quantitative data on corruption convictions and public perception surveys.
III. Measures taken by the government: Details legislative attempts and the political challenges in establishing a unified anti-corruption strategy.
IV. Institutions and legislation: Discusses the effectiveness of audit bodies, internal controls, and anti-corruption agencies.
V. Public Procurement: Analyzes the legislative framework, audit processes, and corruption risks specific to the public procurement sector.
VI. Conclusion: Summarizes the limited progress made and recommends further structural reforms for effective anti-corruption governance.
Keywords
Poland, Corruption, European Union, Accession, Public Procurement, Anti-Corruption Policy, Legislation, Supreme Audit Chamber, Transparency, Bribery, Governance, Political Reform, Civil Service, Internal Audit, Public Administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work investigates the development of corruption in Poland and the government's efforts to combat it throughout the European Union accession process.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
Key themes include legislative developments, institutional oversight, the role of EU pressure, and specific issues within the public procurement and administrative sectors.
What is the main research question?
The paper asks how the accession to the European Union has impacted Poland's anti-corruption policy and whether these changes have effectively reduced corruption.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The study utilizes a descriptive analysis based on government reports, public opinion surveys, EU progress reports, and legal assessments.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body examines corruption perceptions, government measures, institutional frameworks like the NIK, and an in-depth look at public procurement compliance.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Poland, corruption, public procurement, legislation, EU accession, and governance.
How effective is the Supreme Audit Chamber (NIK) in the Polish context?
The NIK is identified as the most effective audit institution in Poland, having contributed significantly to detecting irregularities, though its findings often face implementation challenges.
Why is the public procurement sector highlighted in the paper?
Public procurement is analyzed in detail because it represents the area where Polish legislation is most aligned with EU directives, yet challenges regarding collusion remain prevalent.
- Quote paper
- MMag. CEMS MIM Marta Agnieszka Marciniak (Author), 2003, Poland's Phyrric victory over bribery and collusion on its way to the European Union, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/18807
