An opinion poll conducted by Transparency International in mid-July found that 80℅ of the Tunisians who responded to the poll’s questionnaire believes there has been an increase in the rate of corruption and bribery in Tunisia since the 2011 revolution. The poll’s results were released at the height of criticism against the government for covering up corruption. 

An opinion poll conducted by Transparency International in mid-July found that 80℅ of the Tunisians who responded to the poll’s questionnaire believes there has been an increase in the rate of corruption and bribery in Tunisia since the 2011 revolution. The poll’s results were released at the height of criticism against the government for covering up corruption. 

 The Transparency International Center conducted the opinion poll by selecting a sample of about 1,000 people in each of the Arab Spring countries. The report was completed in the period from September 2012 until March 2013. In Egypt, 64℅ of the respondents said that corruption has risen while only 46℅ of Libyans believe that the rate of corruption in their country has increased. 

The poll results came when Tunisia’s rank in the global bribery indicators fell from 59 to 75 in the least corrupt countries’ index. Egypt’s rank has also fallen from 98 to 118. This has raised many reactions on the role of the Ministry of Governance and Anti-Corruption in Tunisia.

The main findings reached by the center in its poll, can be summarized as follows: corruption and bribery in the Arab countries— especially the Arab Spring countries— have significantly increased since the outbreak of revolutions in countries ruled by religious-oriented parties.

 Government is responsible

Manji al-Rahawi, a member of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), said that the government bears the responsibility for the spread of corruption and bribery in the country because it hasn’t been able, until now, to pass laws and establish mechanisms which would contribute to addressing this phenomenon, resisting it and putting an end to it.

“The way the government dealt with the former regime’s files and figures, representing the symbols of corruption, and with the businessmen who were banned from travelling outside the country, was not serious enough,” said al-Rahawi. “Corruption became prevalent after the revolution and it is no longer monopolized by certain people.  There is no way of ending corruption without radical solutions to eradicate it.” 

Al-Rahawi accused the Ennahda Movement of creating a new phenomenon: political bribery, through the provision of assurances and promises for individuals and personalities that they will be appointed in high ranking positions in return for providing the ruling party with services. 

With regard to the impact of these polls on the situation in the country, al-Rahawi considered that “corruption and bribery have their significant economic impact.  “Foreign investors usually search for transparent business environment.  When there is corruption and bribery, the investor finds himself faced with a number of hindrances and thus he does not feel that he and his investments are protected.”

According to al-Rahawi, this phenomenon is linked to growth. It contributes to the loss of two growth points and thus it directly impacts on employment, not to mention its impact on the macroeconomic policy level.

An economist rings the bell

Dr. Mohsen Hassan, an economist, said that the high corruption and bribery rates have significant economic repercussions.  “Experts believe that corruption deprives us of two growth points, given the close relationship between growth and levels of corruption.  “The impact of this phenomenon is not limited to the country’s boundaries because the image of the country abroad will also be affected and this will have its impact on the business climate and foreign investment.

Hassan stressed the importance of reforming the economy by raising the purchasing power of the people through the reduction of taxation pressure on individuals, increasing wages, raising production and productivity as well as reforming the business environment, particularly with regard to the legislative side and the neutrality of the administration.

Hassan said that such statistics should be read carefully and thoughtfully for three reasons: the existing obscurity before the revolution with respect to administrative and  financial corruption, the growing economic problems since the revolution, because of the decline in the purchasing power and the rise in the prices, in addition to the transitional period experienced by the countries of the Arab Spring, known for weak government control institutions.  Hassan confirmed that “these factors directly lead to the increase in corruption and bribery indicators.”

The ministry clarifies

In response to accusing the government of covering up corruption, Hisham al-Hami, the head of the Minister of Governance and Anti-Corruption Office, “the trial of corrupt people and prosecuting them is a judicial matter and it is not the responsibility of the ministry to do so. The ministry’s role is limited to studying the corruption files and referring them to the courts to examine them and issue their ruling.  The primary role of this ministry is to build a state of law with transparent institutions governed by efficiency and good governance,” he said.

Hisham al-Hami added that the Ministry of Governance and Anti-Corruption is preparing a number of laws to reform the taxation system, transparency in funding political parties, the criminalization of illicit enrichment and protecting those who report on corruption cases. He also said that Tunisia would organize Transparency International’s conference, which will be hosted for the first time in an Arab and African country under the title “No Impunity.”

With regard to the questionnaire, the head of the governance and anti-corruption minister’s office said that this is the first time that Transparency International conducted an opinion poll in Tunisia. “Questioning 1000 people is purely a matter of impressionism and the climate of freedom prevailing in the country since the revolution has contributed to discovering corrupt people.  This is something which the Tunisian people are not used to seeing. Corruption was an organized process, not to mention the weak administration and laws.” 

On the impact of the questionnaire on the situation in Tunisia, al-Hami pointed out that the polls do not have any economic impact on the country. Foreign investors care more about international conventions signed by Tunisia such as fiscal transparency and the laws that protect them and give them their rights.

He stressed that the integrity survey conducted by Tunisia in all of its institutions—to consider areas of corruption and law reform in order to reach reliable management— plays an important role in gaining the confidence of foreign investors because of its transparency and integrity.

Experts say that there are many indicators of corruption and bribery in Tunisia but the government is silent about the issue. The Yosr Development Company, which was at the center of a ponzi scheme last month, also made the government vulnerable to criticism. “There are many people interfering in a secret manner to support Adel al-Daridi (the owner of the company who is now in prison) of the government. Maaz al-Joudi, an economic expert, told the local Tunisian media that the release of al-Daridi from prison the first time made him carry to excess his corrupt acts and deceive the depositors of their money with his company of the legality of his activities as long as the government released him.”