Greek anti-corruption agency dismisses Transparency International survey

Greece’s anti-corruption agency has dismissed Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, published last week, which said that the country’s performance in 2016 worsened, falling to 69th place out of 167 countries, from 58th in 2015.

The Greek agency stressed that the index measured the perception of corruption and that it factored in scandals of the past that were only recently uncovered. “Corruption did not increase, as some representatives of interests would have you believe. The corruption [of the past] is being uncovered now,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday, stressing the government’s determination to continue fighting corruption.

According to the index, Denmark was the least corrupt country with 90 points. Somalia was last with 10 points. The vice president of Transparency International in Greece said the country has a problem with “petty corruption” as Greeks are forced to find alternative ways to deal with red tape.