Romania scored slightly better in 2013 in the recently published Corruption Index by Transparency International, with 43 points, compared to 44 last year. But the country ranks 69th out of 177 countries included in the index, five places down on last year. A score of 100 reflects the cleanest country, while a score of zero, the most corrupt.

Romania's 43 points place it at par with Kuwait and Italy on corruption, while more than two thirds of the countries in the ranking got a score below 50. This year again, Romania ranks among the last in the European Union, according to the report.

Denmark and New Zealand are the least corrupt in the world, ranking first, with 91 points, followed by Finland and Sweden, with 98 points. At the other end of the scale are countries like Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia, each with 8 points.

Romania's neighbor Hungary ranks 47th, with 54 points, while Poland ranks 38th, with a score of 60. Romania ranks worse than Cuba, which comes 63rd, with a similar score as Romania, 43 points. Neighbor Bulgaria ranks 77th, with 41 points, similarly to 2012. The interactive corruption index map is below.

"It is time to stop those who get away with acts of corruption. The legal loopholes and lack of political will in government facilitate both domestic and cross-border corruption, and call for our intensified efforts to combat the impunity of the corrupt," said Huguette Labelle, Chair, Transparency International.

The full rankings here.

editor@romania-insider.com