To raise awareness of the importance of promoting transparency, the UN General Assembly designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day. Over the past year in Slovakia and elsewhere, public distrust of institutions has contributed to growing support for extremism. To build stronger societies, we must jointly strive to provide transparent and effective governance to rebuild public trust in government. Fighting corruption and promoting Rule of Law reforms will promote economic growth that offers good jobs, especially to young people, and brings economic benefits to all citizens.
We welcome and acknowledge the efforts the Slovak government has taken to promote transparency and limit the space for, and appearance of, corruption, including the adoption of a new public procurement law requiring companies bidding on government contracts to register their beneficial ownership structure on a publicly accessible website. We also appreciate the adoption of new judicial and prosecutorial professional codes of conduct aimed at restoring public trust in Slovakia’s legal system, and welcome the ongoing finalization of Slovakia’s third National Action plan under the Open Government Partnership (OGP). The implementation of reforms is key, as is the criminal accountability for those who participate in corrupt activities. It is also the responsibility of all governments to investigate allegations of wrongdoing and to protect whistleblowers.
As members of the Rule of Law Diplomatic Working Group in Slovakia, our Embassies continue to stand ready to work in partnership with the Slovak government on promoting good governance in Slovakia. We are ready to offer support and technical assistance to government reform efforts. In addition, civil society and media are important watchdogs in democratic societies and important partners. In promoting transparency, citizens also have a critical role to play – including by reporting possible corruption when they encounter it. We all must remain vigilant in combating corruption and take steps to reaffirm the public’s faith in well-functioning democratic institutions.
Embassy of Canada
Embassy of Croatia
Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark
Embassy of France
Embassy of Germany
Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway
Embassy of Sweden
Embassy of the United Kingdom
Embassy of the United States of America
