The Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption - Greco based its reports “on facts, not on impressions or perceptions”, its president, Marin Mrčela, said on Wednesday.
Though not referring to any report in particular, Mr Mrčela insisted that “no country is immune to corruption”, adding Greco did not “look at perceptions. We look at the measures countries have taken or did not take to implement the international anti-corruption standards they have adopted.
“Our work is objective, even-handed, impartial and expert-based and this is our strength. Our reports are based on facts, not on impressions or perceptions, and our recommendations have to be fully implemented by all our member states,” he said.
Mr Mrčela was speaking during an international conference organised by the Council of Europe and the European Studies Institute of MGIMO University in Russia.
He noted that the body’s reports were not aimed at being a “name-and-shame activity”.
Our work is objective, even-handed, impartial and expert-based
“We don’t criticise for the sake of it. We are like a group of friends advising another friend on how best to achieve a goal, how best to approach a challenge, to improve for one’s own good. That advice is based on knowledge and understanding not on political considerations,” Mr Mrčela pointed out.
Mr Mrčela’s comments come just days after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat pointed a finger at the Opposition for the criticism levelled against Malta in the latest Greco report published earlier this month. Greco warned that Malta’s criminal justice system was at risk of paralysis unless a redistribution of responsibilities between the police, the Attorney General’s office and inquiring magistrates took place.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Dr Muscat insisted that the Greco criticism was partly a direct result of the “irresponsible way” in which the Opposition had portrayed Malta in international fora over the past years.
He said he would be looking at the report objectively, adding it would be accepted constructively and the government would not attack or undermine those who compiled such reports.