There has recently been a noticeable "reversal of progress in the fight against corruption" in several European countries, Council of Europe's anti-corruption expert body GRECO warned in a report released on Thursday. The report singled out Romania, Poland and Greece as most affected by the backslide in anti-corruption practices.

Croatia was grouped among the eight countries which had the highest number of non-implemented GRECO recommendations that the body issues to strengthen national legislation’s capacity to combat corruption.

GRECO is an expert body that includes 48 member states of the Council of Europe and the United States establishment in 1999, it tracks standards in combating corruption by visiting member states, evaluating their legislation, and issuing recommendations to strengthen their capacity to combat corruption.

“Last year was a dark year for the fight against corruption,” President of GRECO and Vice President of the Croatian Supreme Court, Marin Mrcela, said.

“Many allegations of corruption or actions against probity in public and private organisations have eroded people’s trust in them. Judges have been dismissed or imprisoned and the independent and impartial work of many prosecutors has been undermined; election campaigns have been polluted by corruption allegations; and journalists covering corruption have been silenced, imprisoned or killed,” he added.

The report singled out Greece, which was called on in early March to achieve “visible progress” in combating corruption as soon as possible. It also singled out Romania and Poland, where reforms of the judiciary have caused concern as they might threaten its independence in both countries.

Croatia is listed as one of eight countries with the largest number of non-implemented recommendations. Belgium tops the list with 12, followed by Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, and Macedonia with 6 each, and Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, and Poland, with 5 each.

As for measures aimed to prevent corruption aming MPs, judges, and prosecutors, Croatia was grouped among countries with a high ratio of non-implemented recommendations, at 66.7 percent. The highest percentages overall were in Belgium, at 87.5 percent, and Poland, at 83.3 percent.

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