Transparency International has published the latest data on corruption at a global level. Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index makes grim reading for most Balkan countries, with Kosovo and Albania as rare exceptions to a worsening trend.

According to the report, Albania ranks 80th out of 180 countries, while since 2023 the rating has increased by 5 points.

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is the most widely used global corruption ranking in the world. It measures how corrupt each country's public sector is perceived to be, according to experts and businesspeople.

Each country's score is a combination of at least 3 data sources drawn from 13 different corruption surveys and assessments. These data sources are collected from several reputable institutions, including the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

A country's score is the perceived level of corruption in the public sector on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means very corrupt and 100 means very clean.

The data sources used to compile the CPI specifically cover the following manifestations of corruption in the public sector: Bribery; Misappropriation of public funds; Officials using their public functions for private gain without facing consequences; The ability of governments to curb corruption in the public sector; Excessive bureaucracy in the public sector that can increase opportunities for corruption; Nepotistic appointments in the civil service; Laws ensuring that public officials must disclose their finances and potential conflicts of interest; Legal protection for persons reporting cases of bribery and corruption; State capture by narrow interests; Access to information on public affairs/government activities.

Albania, improving its results from last year, ranked 80th (score of 42). Improved trust levels in the country were mostly in the Special Prosecution Office, according to Transparency’s regional coordinator for Eastern and South East Europe, Lidija Prokic. However, she said initial investigations and processes in the country are still not good enough.

“The 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) shows that corruption is a dangerous problem in every part of the world, but change for the better is happening in many countries”, reads the statement accompanying this year’s Index.

While 32 countries have significantly reduced their corruption levels since 2012, there’s still a huge amount of work to be done – 148 countries have stayed stagnant or gotten worse during the same period, the statement adds.