DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Syria preserves its rank in “the most corrupt countries’ list.” Corruption has permeated through every aspect of life during the years of war.
International anti-corruption organizations have ranked Syria along with Somalia last among Arab states and countries around the world.
On a daily basis, more people are added to the list of “venal and corrupt”, each according to his position.
In order for a state to survive and reconstruct itself following any war or collapse, the Judicial system must be corruption free. However, some people dealing with this sector in Syria indicate that it is one of the corrupt sectors.
Eroding incomes and soaring prices have made good and bad Syrians think of ways to protect their children from cold and hunger. In order to provide basic needs of life, no less than three million Syrian pounds (SYP, equals about $460) is required with prices increasing more than 1.800 percent since the beginning of the war, but average incomes are estimated at 110.000 SYP.
Corruption has severely affected all social, moral and political aspects of life to an extent that corruption and corrupt people make it looks normal.
First Piece of the Chain
A man from Tartus countryside told North Press what happened to him when he went to the municipality of his village (the smallest unit assigned with following people’s affairs) to finish paperwork for a construction license.
The man, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “The employee started to rebuke me although he is familiar with the people of the village.”
The man did not know what wrong he had done.
Upon leaving, someone advised him to put some money (bribe) among the paperwork.
He said he had attached 10.000 SYP with the papers and returned to the employee after an hour to find him in a different mood and received the reviewer in a different manner and completed his paperwork as if he was replaced with someone else.
Wait in line
Corruption increases according to the importance of a position somebody occupies. A young expatriate, in a visit to Syria, said he could not believe how things work out quickly when someone mediates through “the usual corrupt ways.”
He said he managed to get paperwork that would allow him to leave the country normally “after paying an amount of money” even though he had been rejected in previous attempts.
A lady from Damascus said that she needs “more than half a million SYP” in order to get a landline after she changed her residence, while she barely makes ends meet with her salary. This means she has to wait for her turn as they say after every checkup.
The “Most strategically dangerous corruption” might be in the Education sector. There is a phenomena of paying a significant amount of money to people responsible for the supervision process during exams in order for the lucky students to pass with high marks to earn undeserved admittance to highly esteemed learning branches.
Private Sector
In the past, the most known corruption examples were money paid to the police by car owners and PHD certificates bought by some influential individuals to show off. Now you rarely find someone doing his job without making benefit which cannot be described but as “corruption.”
In the past, fingers were pointed at the private sectors for bribing state employees to facilitate their work in state-related businesses. Now everything is a subject of compromising and blackmailing.
A dealer, in his speech with North Press, justified this bribing policy to get work done.
He added that he always paid employees working in various State apparatus because of their low income. Nowadays, however, it has become dividing shares.
Bribing, which has spread widely, promotes segregation of social classes in the community. It is the sons of the poor who serve in the army and who have been pushed to the frontlines during the years of war. While the rich who have not immigrated pay money so their children can serve their conscription at home.
Culture of Corruption
North Press contacted an economic expert to explain the impact of corruption on the country’s economy. “What is worse than corruption is spreading its culture. Every successful corrupt behavior consolidates this culture even if it is classified as a minor corrupt behavior,” he said.
According to the expert, one form of major corruption that affects the economy and infrastructure of a state is “corruption in investments.”
Passing investment opportunities to unworthy relatives of officials “decreases job opportunities and the value of the state’s currency and boosts inflation. All of this affects the economy’s structure and increases immigrants and poor people.”
Corruption with time turns into a work model because one person cannot pass down his corruption without others assisting him. These networks pose danger to the state since they increase their fortune at the expense of the state and community, especially when it is among decision makers.