BUCHAREST, DEC 9 – President Klaus Iohannis has said in his International Anticorruption Day message that it is “absolutely fundamental” to the health of the state and society that the phenomenon of corruption be firmly combated by the responsible institutions, whether it is political, financial, administrative or academic corruption. , corruption in the health system or in education.
“The progress of the Romanian society in recent years in terms of the fight against corruption is visible, but the effort of the institutions in this direction must be continuous and sustained, fully respecting the principle that no one is above the law,” said Iohannis.
“International Anti-Corruption Day, established by the United Nations Convention against Corruption, is an opportunity to remind us that our efforts, of all, for a better society, in which integrity is assumed at all levels, must continue in a sustained manner. . Corruption is a complex phenomenon, deeply rooted in the practices of those who seek to use public power for personal or group interest. In a broad sense, corruption is not just about taking and bribing. Bribery, nepotism, abuse of power are all forms of this scourge that is, in fact, eroding the development of a society, “Klaus Iohannis said in a message sent on Wednesday, on the occasion of the International Anticorruption Day.
He stressed that sanctions must be such as to discourage corruption.
“Whether we are talking about political, financial, administrative or academic corruption, corruption in the health system or in education, it is absolutely fundamental for the health of the state and society that this phenomenon be firmly combated by the responsible institutions. The sanctioning dimension must, indeed, be such as to discourage these harmful behaviors that do a lot of harm to society and slow down its progress “, said the head of state.
Iohannis added, however, that education plays an important role.
“At the same time, without a systemic preventive effort, focused on building a culture of integrity, fighting corruption will not be enough. The education system trains future citizens, and the assumption of behavioral values and their internalization is achieved from the first stages of youth development. It is, therefore, necessary to discuss more about values and morality in schools, in a practical, interactive way “, Iohannis said.
The president’s message also states that: “The progress of Romanian society in recent years in the fight against corruption is visible, but the effort of institutions in this direction must be continuous and sustained, fully respecting the principle that no one is above law. There is also a need for an unequivocal attitude of citizens towards acts of corruption, which translates into zero intolerance towards those who resort to such acts “.
“Deeply attached to democratic values and the rule of law, I have acted and will continue to act for a legislative and institutional construction that will be a catalyst for a developed Romania, built on integrity, honesty and common sense,” he concluded. Johannis.
