The The Institute for Ethics and Economic Policy (IEEP) Fordham University is a renowned Jesuit institution with over 165-year history of emphasis on ethics.	To promote Governance with Respect Ethics Accountability and Transparency (GREAT) SYRIA Join a Discussion site, where you can click on “New Topic” or try this link Transparency International’s corruption rank for this country in 2000 is absent and means that international investment is discouraged by excessive corruption.
SYRIA LOSES 4 BILLION DOLLARS IN FISCAL FRAUD ANNUALLY: MINISTER It’s reveals by Syria Finance Minister that the country faces loss of around 4 billion dollars each year (nearly half of national budget in 2003) due to fiscal fraud. According to the minister, the country must find the best formula to guarantee the rights of the people and the treasury. Having been formed in September the government of PM Naji Otri has said that its goal was to reform the state-controlled economy and fight corruption. (AFP, 22 Nov 2003, summarized by Hanh Vu). TWO PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE TRIED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES After three years of suspension, the Syrian People’s Assembly permitted to bring before the security economic court two members under charges relating to corruption and misuse of their post. The two parliamentarians will be tried but while being out of prison in contrary to what happened with the two other parliamentarians, already in custody, Riad Seif and Mamoun al-Homsi. One of the two entitled parliamentarians Mustafa al-Ayed, former chairman of the general federation of peasants, while Muhammad Mayhoub was member in the executive bureau of the general federation of peasants in Syria, together with a third member of parliament. The case goes back to 1998 when investigations started in cases of stealing the public funds and misusing of the post in the general federation of peasants. (Arabic News, June 28, 2002, summary by Sherldine Tomlinson). Damascus, Mr. ASSAD TRIES TO FOSTER ECONOMIC CHANGE. According to diplomatic reports, Mr. Bashar Assad, the new Syrian leader, has achieved a successful transition from his father's "rule of fear". Now, he tries to create a healthy and liberal economic environment, responding to a demand from intellectual and business circles to relax the oppressive system embedded since 1970. Mr. Assad, in power for nearly six months since the death of his father, Hafez Assad, in June, supports a campaign against corruption. His favorite slogan is "modernization and technology" (Source: Washington Times, November 22, 2000, summary by Pavlidis George). The Index of Economic Freedom (by Driscoll-Holmes-Kirkpatrick) for 2001 places Syria in the “Repressed” category with a rank of 143 (Ranks range from 1 for Hong Kong to 155 for North Korea, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 1, 2000). H. D. Vinod’s trimmed correlation analysis indicates that countries free from economic regulation are less corrupt. After allowing for some exceptions by 20% trimming, the correlation is near 0.9.		Recent news. Worldwide corruption Country Index has links to stories and information about corruption and governance in alphabetically listed geographical regions and countries. Quick Links to USA, China, India, Indonesia Resources which track corruption and provide information on good governance from around the world. Quotes or One-Liners against corruption. Corruption Info Exchange Description of our Project. IEEP Home Fordham Economics Faculty Fordham University
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