Northern Cyprus Ranks 140th in Corruption Perception Index

According to the findings, northern Cyprus received a score of 26, placing it 140th among 180 countries. The ranking system ranges from 0, indicating the highest level of corruption, to 100, representing the absence of corruption. Compared to last year, the score dropped by one point, but the ranking remained unchanged.

While last year, northern Cyprus was seven points behind Turkey, this year the gap widened to eight points. Meanwhile, southern Cyprus improved from a score of 53 to 56, securing 46th place. The difference between the two sides of the island grew from 26 to 30 points. The report identified Denmark, Finland, and Singapore as the least corrupt countries, while northern Cyprus shares its position with Liberia, Mali, Pakistan, Cameroon, Iraq, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, and Uganda.

Survey respondents painted a grim picture, with 75% of businesspeople believing bribery and corruption are widespread, and 74% considering corruption a serious problem. Two-thirds of those surveyed said corruption had worsened over the past year, while only 4% believed it had decreased.

Bribery was perceived as most prevalent in public tenders, licensing procedures, and the allocation of state-owned land and buildings. Conversely, judicial decisions, municipal services, and access to state-provided utilities such as electricity, water, and telecommunications were reported as the least corrupt areas. Despite this, one in three respondents admitted to paying bribes or offering gifts in the past year, primarily to speed up processes, ensure completion of transactions, or reduce costs.

A significant portion of participants expressed concerns about the misuse of public resources, with 57% believing state funds were being funneled to private entities due to corruption. Government officials and their appointees were identified as the groups most involved in corrupt activities, with 60% of respondents claiming corruption was prevalent among cabinet members and 55% among senior public servants. On the other hand, police officers, prosecutors, and judges were seen as the least involved in corruption.

Electoral corruption also emerged as a key issue, with 61% stating that vote-buying was common, and 34% believing that voters were often threatened with consequences if they did not cast their ballots in a certain way. Furthermore, 62% of respondents felt that the government was largely controlled by a small number of powerful interest groups.

Accountability for corruption remained a major concern, as 45% of participants said corrupt officials were never punished, while 28% believed they were only rarely held accountable. Meanwhile, only 13% thought corrupt officials were regularly prosecuted.

Notably, tolerance toward corruption appeared to be increasing. The percentage of people who found it acceptable to use personal connections to expedite public services rose from 17% in 2023 to 25% in 2024, a significant jump from just 5% in 2022. Similarly, the proportion of respondents who deemed corruption acceptable as long as the government provided good services increased from 9% to 11% over the past year, a stark rise from 3% in 2022. These findings suggest a growing normalization of corruption in northern Cyprus over the past two years.