21 Mar 2014

Misconceptions Distort Views of the Crisis in Crimea

The new hot battle currently erupting over Ukraine, which we are struggling to cool off, will end in another protracted conflict, as did the previous ones in Moldova, Georgia and Armenia. We are hurdling in that direction and might even view such a development as a success of our diplomacy. Here are some commonly portrayed misconceptions which are not helpful.

14 Mar 2014

Corruption Indicators, the Next Generation

EU FP7 ANTICORRP project researchers, anti-corruption experts and Hertie School Executive Master of Public Management students gathered in Berlin’s from 6-7 March for a workshop to discuss the continued development of second generation indicators.

24 Feb 2014

ERCAS Hosts Berlin ECFR Scorecard Launch

ERCAS and the Hertie School of Governance hosted the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) for the Berlin launch of the 2014 edition of their annual European foreign policy scorecard. ERCAS Director Professor Alina Mungiu-Pippidi introduced the event by discussing inadequate European manoeuvring vis-à-vis Ukraine.

31 Jan 2014

Through Thick and Thin: Making EU aid to Egypt more effective in a turbulent political climate

By: Isabel Bucknall and Alex Odlum As demonstrated by the Muslim Brotherhood’s widespread boycott of this month’s constitutional referendum and the ensuing post-poll violence, it is clear that deep-seated political tensions are unlikely to recede swiftly in Egypt. The road to democracy will continue to be long and hard, and donor assistance efforts will have […]

27 Jan 2014

How the EU Can and Should Help Ukrainian Civil Society

Update: 28 January 2014: the Ukrainian Parliament has repealed anti-protest laws, and the Prime Minister has resigned.

07 Jan 2014

International Academic Community in Solidarity with Ukraine

Are you a student or professor and angered by the use of violence against Euromaidan protestors? If so, add your voice to the petition already signed by prominent members of the international academic community.

16 Dec 2013

Who Lost Ukraine?

An analysis piece from Ivan Krastev on the situation in Ukraine. Krastev notes, "There are only three options left for Ukraine: sign the agreement with the EU, join Putin’s EurAsEC, or go bankrupt."

10 Dec 2013

Major victory for civil society in Romania

Following large-scale protests and the dissemination of top cyanide mining supporters by anti-corruption alliance, the draft law was rejected by the Parliament on December 10th.

09 Dec 2013

EU Needs Public Prosecutor to Fight Fraud

Establishment of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is fully justified, says Professor Alina Mungiu-Pippidi

03 Dec 2013

EU Funds Curse? New evidence on the reciprocal impact between EU funds and corruption in CEE

Using a new quantitative indicator, this European paper finds EU Structural and Cohesion Funds impact grand corruption in Central and Eastern Europe. As much as 1/3 of EU funds given to public projects in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia are touched by corruption.

21 Nov 2013

Corruption in Universities, a Blueprint for Reform

This piece first appeared in the Time Higher Education supplement both online and in print.

06 Nov 2013

Who is Succeeding and Why?

ANTICORRP research workshop urges closer look at global anti-corruption achievers

28 Oct 2013

Civil Society, Young Generation Key to Fighting Corruption in Afghanistan

Head of Afghan Anti-Corruption Task Force Addresses Hertie Students

30 Sep 2013

Corruption and Development: New Insights from ANTICORRP Report

Recent ANTICORRP report assesses global and regional trends of control of corruption and development, and takes a closer look at the relationship between the two to identify the over- and underperformers in control of corruption.

13 Sep 2013

ANTICORRP Report Shows Regional Achievers in Control of Corruption

A global corruption trends report prepared by the ERCAS team for project ANTICORRP highlights best and worst performers on control of corruption across eight world regions.

02 Sep 2013

Transparency in Public Procurement Boosts Anti-Corruption Monitoring in Slovakia

Part of a series of case studies on the impact of transparency policies, a study on public procurement transparency in Slovakia reveals the potential of such initiatives in fostering civil society’s and media’s watchdog role against corruption.

29 Aug 2013

First ANTICORRP Policy Report Assesses Control of Corruption in Europe

The first volume of the Anticorruption Report series provides a comprehensive analysis of causes and consequences of corruption in three European regions, presenting corruption risks for several European countries and concrete policy recommendations on how to effectively address those risks.

14 Aug 2013

Report Takes Stock of Freedom of Information Protection Globally

In the past decades, awareness about freedom of information has been increasing rapidly, as has the number of countries that are taking concrete steps to include guarantees for this right in their legal frameworks. A recent study looks deeper at this movement to identify important achievements, challenges and the next steps for civil society in order to broaden even more the protection to the right to information

30 Jul 2013

ERCAS Director Emphasises Role of Public Spending in Controlling Corruption

In a presentation at an international Economics conference, Alina Mungiu-Pippidi highlighted recent findings from ERCAS’s research suggesting that there is more to the link between corruption and government spending than what traditional research has so far explored. An analysis based on the distinction between social and investment expenditure reveals that the true problem lies with discretionary spending, and this should be taken into account in the design of anti-corruption policies to reduce resources for corruption.

16 Jul 2013

“Clean Moldova” Replicates Initiative by Neighboring Alliance for Clean Romania

In cooperation and exchange with the Alliance for Clean Romania, the Clean Moldova coalition implements a promising initiative to promote more integrity among public officials and increased monitoring of politicians by voters, in another positive example of the replicability potential of such initiatives

04 Jul 2013

Bulgarians Continue to Protest against Corruption in the Government

What started three weeks ago as a protest against the appointment of a media mogul as head of the State Agency for National Security has now consolidated into a manifest rejection of the capture of politics by corporate interests and oligarchies

24 Jun 2013

Protests in Brazil Fuelled by Popular Discontent with Corruption and Bad Public Services

Two weeks ago, Brazilians took the streets to protest against an increase in public transportation fares and, in a matter of days, big masses have come together all over the country to voice much more profound concerns with corruption, political privileges, impunity, the low quality of health care and education and increasing criminality. Now their eyes are turned to politicians, waiting to see whether their cry will be heard

20 Jun 2013

Court Ruling Against NGOs in Egypt Raises Concerns about Role of Civil Society in New Regime

An Egyptian court sentencing of NGO workers and new legislation to regulate civil society organisations seem to reveal increasing efforts of the Egyptian government to constrain and control rather than foster civil society activity in the country

13 Jun 2013

Lessons Learned from the Recent Sentence of Soccer Tycoon George Becali in Romania

Recent convictions against Becali illustrate positive developments in Romania’s fight against corruption and reflect the strengthening of rule of law in the country. Nevertheless, his popularity and charisma still succeed in splitting the public opinion on whether the decisions were righteous or not

06 Jun 2013

Freedom of Information Law Amendment Restricts Access to Information in Hungary

Hungary has recently joined the Open Government Partnership, a step that was seen optimistically with regards to the government’s commitment to transparency, but recent moves by the Parliament to amend and restrict the scope of the country's Freedom of Information legislation raise serious concerns about a backlash in this process