Three quarters of Czech citizens see public sector as corrupt

Seventy-five percent of Czech citizens believe that a majority of all public officials and workers are corrupt, according to public opinion research center CVVM poll results, as provided by Ceskenoviny news wire April 2. Only a mere 2 percent of respondents stated that corruption in the public administration is rare.

Political parties and ministries proved to be the most corrupt institutions in the country, according to the results.

On a 1-5 scale, with “5” standing for the highest rate of corruption, political parties received an average mark of 4.26. Ministries and central administration offices placed second, with a note of 3.91. Third, with a mark of 3.75, came construction offices. Regional authorities and police also received marks above the level of 3.

Only two public institutions were assessed with lower grades than 3. Education institutions received 2.58 and banks and financial institutions were awarded 2.92. The third least corrupt institution proved to be the army, according to the respondents.

Such figures have not changed much in the last few years. In 2013, 73 percent of Czechs were convinced that most public officers were corrupt, a mark that was only 2 percent less than in 2014.