Last week, the world woke up to some unprecedented news from the
European Union with Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem saying
her commission had produced a damning report on corruption in Europe.
Though the report is yet to be presented in full, she highlighted that there was "breathtaking" corruption in Europe.
Malmstroem underscored that this was the first time the Commission had produced such a report. She revealingly mentioned that corruption is costing European countries as much as US$160 billion each year.
We, from the vilified part of the world, could hardly believe this. How can these "democracies" be blighted by corruption, a vice supposedly indigenous to the poor developing nations?
Nevertheless, the coincidence of these revelations with growing reports of corruption in Zimbabwe had a didactic purpose. The staggering figure of money lost to Europe due to corruption is enough to shoulder the budgetary needs of 40 small economies like Zimbabwe that require a mere US$4 billion to pass each year.
Such is the damaging nature of corruption. Figuratively, corruption in the EU is destroying the economies of 40 nations each year. This is shocking considering the fact that efforts to secure US$4 billion to run Zimbabwe's economy are not yielding much.
Malmstroem said corruption erodes public trust and undermines the strength of economies. "We hope that this (report) will start a political process and will spur the political will and the necessary commitment at all levels to address corruption more effectively across Europe," she said.
Read more: allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: West's Holier-Than-Thou Attitude Just Hot Air (Page 1 of 2)
Though the report is yet to be presented in full, she highlighted that there was "breathtaking" corruption in Europe.
Malmstroem underscored that this was the first time the Commission had produced such a report. She revealingly mentioned that corruption is costing European countries as much as US$160 billion each year.
We, from the vilified part of the world, could hardly believe this. How can these "democracies" be blighted by corruption, a vice supposedly indigenous to the poor developing nations?
Nevertheless, the coincidence of these revelations with growing reports of corruption in Zimbabwe had a didactic purpose. The staggering figure of money lost to Europe due to corruption is enough to shoulder the budgetary needs of 40 small economies like Zimbabwe that require a mere US$4 billion to pass each year.
Such is the damaging nature of corruption. Figuratively, corruption in the EU is destroying the economies of 40 nations each year. This is shocking considering the fact that efforts to secure US$4 billion to run Zimbabwe's economy are not yielding much.
Malmstroem said corruption erodes public trust and undermines the strength of economies. "We hope that this (report) will start a political process and will spur the political will and the necessary commitment at all levels to address corruption more effectively across Europe," she said.
Read more: allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: West's Holier-Than-Thou Attitude Just Hot Air (Page 1 of 2)
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