Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-04-06-Speech-4-044"
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"en.20060406.5.4-044"2
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"Corruption is the by-product of a weak system of government, but also arises from the absence of definite values. It is therefore of great practical importance that a society should possess an ethical framework and good practices in order to solve this problem.
Weak moral principles promote both self-serving transactions and the concealment of those transactions. Those who provide aid are tempted to believe that their money is used for the correct purpose. Those who receive aid often succeed in making us believe that is the case. The corruption that accompanies the granting of aid is especially drastic because the actual people who are in distress suffer doubly. They not only lose the material assistance they should have received, but they are also robbed of the hope to improve their lives and of the hope for solidarity.
Therefore it is our obligation to consistently expose and, even more importantly, prevent corruption and the gullibility that accompanies it. It is the opinion of the Court of Auditors that the European Commission’s aid programmes do not sufficiently take into consideration the risks of corruption.
I would like to offer two examples. Firstly, European Union aid to the Palestinian Self-Government. Today we must admit that one of the main reasons the extremist Hamas movement came to power was the previous administration’s deeply rooted corruption. Secondly, the Commission sends humanitarian aid to Chechnya. What has been done to determine whether those funds actually reach the local inhabitants who suffer from official corruption?
Finally, I would like to emphasise a couple of important points in this very good report. Member States must ratify the UN anti-corruption convention. Secondly, budget support should only be provided to governments which are clearly striving to raise standards for the administration of public finances. I am glad the representative supports that course. A certain percentage of the aid granted should be allocated to supporting organisations that monitor civil society.
And last of all, the main problem, which is to put pressure on countries housing financial centres to freeze and repatriate illegal funds deposited there by corrupt rulers. This is a very difficult requirement, but its implementation is a test that will demonstrate whether or not we are serious about preventing corruption."@en1
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