One of the consequences of the coronavirus
\npandemic is an increase in corruption in the healthcare system. A study
\npublished Transparency International points out that the COVID-19 pandemic led
\nto an increase in the perception of corruption amongst EU citizens. 40,000
\ninhabitants in 27 EU member states took part in the Eurobarometer held over October-December
\n2020. Less than half of the participants believe the crisis was managed in a transparent
\nmanner by the authorities. Over 60% of respondents in France, Poland and Spain
\nbelieve their governments lacked transparency in managing the pandemic. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Health
\nservices are particularly affected by corruption. Medical care services were a fertile
\nground for corruption, while the governments were trying to keep the COVID-19
\npandemic in check, Transparency International points out in its report. Whereas
\nonly 6% of respondents said they had to pay bribes to obtain access to medical
\ncare, 29% said they used their personal connections to obtain privileged access.
\nAccording to the aforementioned study, lives can be lost when people with contacts
\non the inside get a COVID-19 vaccine or medical treatment ahead of medical
\nemergencies. Bribes in the healthcare sector are the most widespread in Romania
\n-22%, Bulgaria, 19%, and the use of private connections is the most frequent in
\nthe Czech Republic – 54% and Portugal, 46%. On the other hand, Hungary and
\nPoland are seen as the countries that used the health crisis to undermine
\ndemocracy by introducing measures that weakened democratic institutions. In
\nGermany, MPs of the Conservative Party in power (CDU) were accused of having
\nintervened in this sector. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Over 60% of German interviewees believe their
\ngovernments to be under the influence of groups with private interests. At EU
\nlevel, over half of respondents feel the same about their own governments. A
\nthird of EU citizens who took part in the survey believe corruption stagnated
\nor increased in their countries. The authors of the report highlight the fact
\nthat politicians saw the crisis as an opportunity to profit, invoking lobby activities
\nto purchase face masks. They are asking on EU governments to intensify their
\nefforts to ensure a fair and just exit from the pandemic. The results should represent
\na warning for both governments and EU institutions, Michiel van Hulten, Transparency
\nInternational EU director has said. (VP)<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled corruption across the community bloc<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":89281,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[31504,35374,40288,34450],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-89280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-corruption-perceptions-index","tag-covid-19","tag-healthcare-services","tag-transparency-international"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n