|
On June 18, 2003 the Center for the Study of
Democracy hosted a round table discussion on anti-corruption in the
private sector. The event was organized by Coalition 2000 and
Association Integra-Bulgaria as a continuation of their efforts to
improve corporate governance in Bulgaria and increase its
significance in countering corruption.
The round table moderator, Mr. Todor Yalamov,
Corporate Governance Expert Group Coordinator at CSD, said that a
major objective of the discussion should be defining the problem of
corruption in the private sector and the potential of SMEs to
oppose it as well as suggesting specific methods for counteraction.
The latest survey data on corruption in the private sector were
presented by Mr. Ruslan Stefanov, Project Coordinator at the CSD
Economic Program. He outlined the various acts of corruption and
their consequences, and the ways for counteraction. He pointed out
that the number of bribes paid in the private sector is comparable,
though in a smaller amount, to those in the public administration,
i.e. in public procurement.
Mr. Ludmil Mandichev, Coordinator of the
anticorruption project of Integra BDS, presented the project Corruption in SMEs and Measures to
Fight It and the process of elaboration of the manual
“Code of Ethics and Social Audit” published with the support of
Coalition 2000. The manual aims to give a practical advice to
Bulgarian small and medium-sized enterprises on the codes of
ethics. Integra’s next step on the project will be to provide
assistance to 10 Bulgarian companies to apply their own code of
ethics and then conduct “social audit”, which should verify its
results.
Challenges faced by foreign investors in Bulgaria
and their viewpoint towards corruption in SMEs were presented by
Mr. Jack Reynolds, international expert in corporate governance and
auditing.
Representatives of business associations,
incl. BAIT, the bank sector, the ITC Coordination Center with the
Council of Ministers and academicians took part in the discussion
that followed.
Program of the round table
Corruption in Bulgarian SMEs and
Measures to Fight it - project of
Integra-Bulgaria
Corporate Governance Initiative for
Bulgaria
|
