Macedonia is up nine places and two index points in the latest Transparency International report, assessing the country’s progress in the fight against corruption. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2023, North Macedonia ranks 76th with a score of 42 points, whereas in 2022 it ranked 85th with a score of 40 points.
Of the countries in the region, Croatia has the best score of 50 index points in the 57th spot. Bosnia and Herzegovina has the lowest ranking in the 108th spot, though up one index point. Greece sees a drop of three places and is ranked 59th, scoring 49 points. Montenegro is up one point and leads with a score of 46 points, putting it in 63rd place. Albania is up one place and is ranked 98th with a score of 37 points. Kosovo is in 83rd place with 41 points, and Serbia scored the same as last year, standing on 104th place.
The CPI 2023 report notes that Macedonia’s parliament significantly undermined its judiciary. In a non-transparent and fast-tracked procedure, MPs amended the criminal code to reduce prison sentences and shorten the statute of limitations for the abuse of official positions. This will cause roughly 200 suspected corruption cases to be dismissed, many of which involve former high-level officials.
The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) shows that corruption is thriving across the world.
