site.btaNo One Is to Blame for Corruption in High Levels of Power, Report Shows

The real picture of high-level corruption remains hidden as the criminal proceedings do not reflect the true state of high-level public sector corruption. This is one of the conclusions of the Anti-Corruption Fund's 2022 annual monitoring report, entitled "Anti-Corruption Institutions 2022: Eyes Wide Shut".

The report was launched on Tuesday.

There are virtually no persons guilty of corruption crimes among the highest officials, the report adds.

According to the authors, the political turbulence in 2022 was reflected in criminal proceedings for corruption at the highest levels of power. Investigations launched with overt political overtones have once again proved the unconditional need for neutral criminal investigation bodies and especially their leadership, the report says.

According to its texts, last year proved to be a transitional year between two separate sets of sanctions imposed by the US in 2021 and 2023 under the global anti-corruption Magnitsky Act on several recognisable figures in Bulgarian public, economic and political life.

Analysts point out that Bulgarian anti-corruption authorities have shown no willingness or ability to work.

The report reminds that the specialised court and prosecutor's office were closed last year. The case studies examined in the last four analyses show that the transfer of political corruption cases to specialised justice has not led to any positive change.

According to the analysts, good legislative proposals were made in 2022 to increase the efficiency of the criminal justice process, but these were not adopted by Parliament. Taking adequate steps towards reforming the criminal justice system would improve the state of the fight against high-level corruption, the report adds.