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The World Bank Group's Global Forum on "Fighting Corruption for Development", to be held in Washington DC on 26-27 June, began today: Rebuilding Trust."
The Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Ms. Irene Charalambidou, participated as a speaker in a thematic session on the role of the media and members of parliaments in the fight against corruption.
In response to a question from the moderator of the thematic discussion on the possibilities of cooperation between investigative journalists and members of parliaments, Ms. Charalambidou noted that before becoming a politician she was a journalist so she can fully appreciate the contribution of investigative journalism for parliamentarians. She explained that MPs have the opportunity, following information that sees the light of day due to the systematic work of investigative journalists, to exercise their legislative powers and their power to conduct parliamentary scrutiny to address corruption.
At the same time, Ms. Charalambidou stressed, the media must meet transparency requirements regarding their own funding in order to avoid the creation of monopolies that limit pluralism and create p She noted that every effort is made in the OSCE CSO, through official visits, the texts adopted and in the context of election observation missions, to highlight the need to ensure the freedom of the media in order to facilitate their contribution to fighting corruption and enhancing accountability. Moreover, the OSCE CSO serves, she noted, as a platform for the exchange of good practices and experiences in meeting the commitments undertaken by States in this area.
Ms. Charalambidou stressed that both the legislative power and the exercise of parliamentary control are powerful tools available to parliamentarians. She noted in this context that in terms of media protection, parliaments can play a key role in protecting investigative journalists from Strategic Lawsuits aimed at discouraging them from continuing their investigations, while MPs, are also responsible for establishing a legislative framework that guarantees media freedom, protecting the safety of journalists and public interest witnesses. In addition, MPs can introduce legislation regulating lobbying, shell companies, disclosure of beneficial owners and the recovery of assets acquired through corruption.
In addition to their legislative function, national parliaments, Ms Charalambidou said, should also use the parliamentary scrutiny function to ensure that information and scandals brought to light by investigative journalists result in accountability of those responsible and legislative proposals to improve the legislative framework. She noted that such revelations should also prompt competent institutions of the executive branch to take appropriate measures to fight corruption.
In addition, Ms Charalambidou asked a question to Professor Francis Fukuyama, who gave an opening address. Noting the disparity between words and deeds in the field of anti-corruption, she questioned whether this phenomenon can really be tackled in the absence of political will. Dr. Fukuyama replied that he did not attach importance to the existence of political will but to the creation of synergies at the level of citizens in order to achieve the necessary changes.
Finally, Ms. Charalambidou participated in a thematic discussion on the role of the judiciary in the fight against corruption. Modern procedures for the appointment of judges in a number of countries were presented, aimed at introducing objective criteria and establishing impartial procedures to ensure the integrity of the country's judicial and prosecutorial authorities. Asked by Ms Charalambidou whether the adoption of legislation requiring members of the judiciary to make a declaration of assets was contrary to the independence of the judiciary, which was constitutionally guaranteed, Sir Anthony Hooper, former Judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, replied that such a position was a paraphrase of the Constitution and that the independence of the judiciary could not be considered to be limited by the adoption of measures of transparency, integrity and accountability, such as the obligation to make a declaration of assets.
