You have the right to live safely #without bribes
Corruption can have a devastating impact on social and economic development, affecting the quality of life of citizens and undermining trust in public institutions. Fighting it is therefore essential to building a fairer, prosperous and healthier society. In the Republic of Moldova, although some progress has been made in the fight against corruption (Transparency International report 2023), it remains one of the major challenges facing our society.
The situation is all the more complex as, since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova hosts the highest number of Ukrainian refugees per capita, a community that may similarly feel the damaging effects of corruption.
Being a refugee is not a choice. Being corrupt – yes!
In their efforts to support our country with financial assistance in the fight against corruption, the Government of Germany through the project “Strengthening the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova”, implemented by GIZ Moldova and the National Anti-Corruption Centre, are joining forces to counter and prevent acts of corruption in Moldova. Through an information campaign with the suggestive message “Being a refugee is not a choice. Being corrupt – yes! You have the right to live safely #withoutbribery”, refugees, as well as the communities where they have chosen to live in Moldova, will learn more about the negative impact of the phenomenon, the solutions to avoid bribery, and the mechanisms available to them to protect themselves or report corruption.
Janine Baudach, Project Manager “Strengthening the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Mechanisms in the Republic of Moldova”, GIZ Moldova: “The German Government’s support to Moldova in the area of capacity building for preventing and fighting corruption focuses, including, raising public awareness of the consequences and efforts to combat this scourge. In this campaign, we will emphasise that every refugee has the right to free access to education, health care or safety, and that these fundamental rights should not be called into question by a demand for a bribe. Even if they have been forced to leave their homes and country of origin, refugees deserve protection and support and can enjoy essential rights to rebuild their lives in safe and stable conditions”.
Iulian Rusu, Director of the National Anti-Corruption Centre: “Corruption, by definition, generally involves two or more parties: a party that offers or requests a benefit illegally and a party that accepts or provides this benefit. That is why outreach will target both the Ukrainian refugee community in Moldova and the local community. We want everyone to promote integrity and increase civic responsibility. A key element of the campaign is to encourage citizens to report acts of corruption to the NAC’s National Anti-Corruption Line by calling 080055555. This will directly contribute to fighting corruption and promoting a safer and more transparent environment in the community.”
As part of the campaign, several communication actions will be developed with the aim of encouraging involvement and raising awareness of corruption issues in society and their negative impact on daily life, the economy and social development, including refugees.
This will help to inform the community about the fundamental rights of refugees, and how they can avoid corruption or provide support if they are asked for bribes.
About the “You have the right to live safely #withoutbribery” campaign
“You have the right to live safely #withoutbribes” is a communication campaign dedicated to informing, preventing and fighting corruption among the refugee community in Ukraine and the population of the Republic of Moldova. The project is funded by the Government of Germany in partnership with the National Anti-Corruption Centre.
