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Switzerland does not satisfy anti-corruption assessment

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GRECO stated that only five out of the twelve recommendations contained in the evaluation report have been satisfactorily addressed by Switzerland. Keystone / Ti-press / Alessandro Crinari

Switzerland has failed to make progress in implementing the recommendations set by the Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) to prevent the corruption of parliamentarians, judges, and prosecutors, according to the group.

A report published on Thursday by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), states that Switzerland has failed to make progress in implementing the recommendations set by the group. The evaluation is based on recommendations made to Swiss authorities in 2017. 

GRECO stated that five out of the twelve recommendations contained in the evaluation report have been satisfactorily addressed by Switzerland. Five of the remaining recommendations have been partially implemented, however, two have not been addressed at all.

It calls for an increase in transparency in debates and votes in the government committees, as well as an increase in transparency for votes in the cantonal governments. It also recommends extending the obligation to disclose any personal interests or conflicts that may arise between a member’s private interests and the subject under consideration in a parliamentary procedure.

GRECO also recommends that measures be taken to strengthen and increase the effectiveness of the quality and objectivity in the recruitment process of judges to the courts of the Confederation and do away with the practice of judges of the federal courts paying a part of their salary to political parties.

For prosecutors, GRECO called for ensuring that the rules and procedures relating to the supervisory authority of the federal prosecutor administration adequately take into account the potential conflicts of interest of its members who conduct proceedings before the federal criminal authorities.

GRECO works in the prevention of corruption of parliamentarians, judges, and prosecutors.

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