Corrupt practices in business most common in Croatia among SEE states - EY

June 19 (SeeNews) - Croatia is the country in Southeast Europe (SEE) where bribery and corrupt practices in business are most common, a survey by global consultancy Ernst&Young (EY) showed.

About 79% of Croatian managers perceive the problem to be widespread in their country, ranking the country fifth in terms of corrupt practices, EY said in its Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) Fraud Survey 2017 conducted between November 2016 and January 2017.

The survey includes 4,100 interviews of senior managers from 41 countries across EMEIA.

Slovenia and Bulgaria followed with 74% and 68% of respondents stating that corrupt practices happen widely in business in those countries. Slovenia and Bulgaria ranked 11th and 14th, respectively.

Nearly half of Bulgarian managers said that they communicate frequently about the importance of maintaining high ethical standards. In Croatia this share is 29% against 28% in Slovenia, 27% in Romania and 21% in Serbia.

Romania leads the countries in the region in perceptions of positive impact on ethical standards by country's regulators, ranking 12th in this respect. Bulgaria was ranked 14th place, followed by Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.

The awareness of whistleblowing hotlines by management was highest in Slovenia and Bulgaria, ranking 13th and 14th, respectively.

Ranking of SEE countries:

Source: EY