Transparency International, the anti-corruption group, and its partner I Watch today called on all political parties registered in the upcoming Tunisian elections to announce their full commitment to the fight against corruption.
The first campaign to elect parliamentarians in Tunisia since the revolution that overthrew Ben Ali’s regime begins next week. An anti-corruption pledge should include a commitment to fighting corruption at its source, offering a preliminary roadmap towards the success of anti-corruption efforts in Tunisia. The North African country ranked 77th in the 2013 Corruption Perceptions Index with a score of 41 out of 100, showing a clear need to do more to stop corruption.
“By making an anti-corruption commitment now, candidates aiming to be Members of Parliament will take a big step toward aligning themselves with the most immediate needs of the people of Tunisia to stop secret dealings, bribery and the abuse of power,” said Ghada Zughayar, Transparency International’s Regional Director for Middle East and North Africa.
I Watch and Transparency International are calling on all parties to uphold Tunisia’s new constitution, ratified on 26 January 2014. The constitution is based on principles of respect for human rights, transparency and good governance and is designed to protect rights and freedoms and establish a state governed by the rule of law.
Both organizations also call upon the next government to take serious and concrete measures towards the further implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, ratified by Tunisia in 2008, and the fulfilment of its obligations. These include the development of a national strategy to fight corruption in partnership with relevant parties, including civil society organizations; and enabling the National Anti-Corruption Commission to play its role effectively by providing it with the financial support and qualified human resources that it needs.
Transparency International and I Watch ask all potential legislators to publicly pledge to do the following:
- Pass and enforce a whistleblower protection law in conformity with international standards, and encourage the reporting of corruption.
- Pass the amended law on the Right to Information in conformity with international standards, and establish a Right to Information Commission.
- Work on the retrieval of stolen assets, ensuring the transparency of the disposition of confiscated and recovered properties and funds, and involving civil society in this process.
- Work on reforming the asset declaration law to make Financial Disclosure Statements public and transparent and granting the Audit Court more powers to audit and review these statements.
- Take the necessary measures to ensure transparency of natural resources contracts and the parliamentary control over such contracts.