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- Ελληνικά
The 31st Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE JPA) continues today in Bucharest for the fourth day.
At yesterday's meeting of the Committee on Economy, Environment, Science and Technology, an additional resolution by Ms. Charalambidou on "Preventing the use of corruption as a tool of foreign policy" was adopted by a large majority, which will be included in the Final Declaration of the Session.
The Resolution notes that there is a greater risk of corruption becoming a foreign policy tool where there is grand corruption and state capture as high-level officials can use their control of legislative and regulatory powers, and the judicial system to suppress the independent efforts of civil society and the media to investigate and expose corruption, to legitimise their activities and to weaken any potential for accountability and transparency.
In supporting the Additional Resolution, Ms Charalambidou said that corruption can be an important foreign policy tool in the hands of malicious actors, especially where conditions of strategic dependency prevail. She warned that key sectors such as defence, security and energy are at greater risk of interference to gain control of key state decisions.
Furthermore, Ms. Charalambidou pointed out that corruption also threatens the effectiveness of the delivery of development or other types of international aid. She noted that there are allegations that international aid related to weapons systems has ended up on the black market. And financial aid can end up in the hands of corrupt individuals who enrich themselves at the expense of their state and its citizens, Ms. Charalambidou said.
Therefore, she stressed, we need to ensure that effective oversight mechanisms are in place to guarantee that development or other aid ends up where it is needed and makes the maximum possible contribution. He stressed that international agencies or other donors providing such assistance must develop effective management and control systems to prevent abuse.
Moreover, in a bilateral meeting between Ms. Charalambidou, in her capacity as the OSCE CS Special Representative for Combating Corruption, and Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, Ambassador Bakyt Dzhusupov, the desire to undertake further joint actions was underlined by both sides. Mr Dzhusupov referred to activities of his Office in particular in Central Asian and Eastern European states, and stressed the importance of cooperation with national parliaments and the Parliamentary Assembly for the Fight against Corruption. Views were also exchanged on the importance of further exploring ways in which technological development can contribute to the fight against corruption.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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