WASHINGTON, DC - Russia has moved up to 133 in 2012 from 143 in 2011 in terms of corruption levels, Transparency International, a civil society organization, said in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index, published on its website Wednesday.
Russia scored 2.8 points and was ranked 133 out of 176 countries. The same score was given to Kazakhstan, Iran, Honduras, Comoros Islands and Guyana.
Among other CIS countries the list had Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan at number 170, each with 1.7 points. Azerbaijan scored 2.7 and was number 139.
Moldova improved on last year’s result, taking 3.6 points and climbing from 112 to 94. Armenia also climbed, receiving 3.4 points and moving to number 105 from 129.
Ukraine obtained 2.6 points and took the 144 spot and Belarus with 3.1 points was number 123.
Transparency International reckons Georgia is in a better position than its neighbors and put it at number 51 with 5.2 points.
The leaders of the index were New Zealand, Finland and Denmark, scoring 9 points. The most corrupt countries were listed as Somalia, North Korea and Afghanistan with 0.8 points.
The countries score from 0 (worst) to 10 (best) points.
Transparency International has been compiling the Corruption Perceptions Index since 1995, ranking countries according to the extent of corruption among public officials and politicians.
The index considers all possible forms of corrupt practice, including kickbacks to officials and their involvement in distribution of profits from government contracts, as well as unlawful or unscrupulous use of budget funds.
The efficiency of anti-corruption measures are also taken into account.
