(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, AUGUST 2 - A reported 67% of Tunisians polled said they believe corruption has increased over the past 12 months, according to a recent report released by NGO Transparency International, through its Global Corruption Barometer (Gcb). The survey focuses on 45,000 citizens across 25 African countries and was presented at a press conference in Tunis.
The poll said 64% of Tunisians in particular ''believe the government is not serious in its fight against corruption'' as anti-corruption efforts ''have no impact in everyday life'', said the president of I Watch Tunisia (an NGO affiliated to Transparency International). The organization added that data on ''illicit or inappropriate practices'' in Tunisia doubled from 9% in 2015 to 18% in 2019. Also, according to I Watch, corruption levels at Tunisian schools increased from 2 to 8%, in hospitals from 8 to 11%, and rose from 3 to 12% when it was necessary to obtain a personal document from the public administration.
The report by Transparency International stressed in particular the growing mistrust of Tunisians towards State institutions and parliament. In order to fight corruption, Transparency International urged in particular legislators to strengthen the level of protection provided to informants through regulations to implement law 10/2017 on exposure to corruption and the protection of informants. (ANSAmed)
