Citizens’ perceptions of corruption across professional groups indicate that institutions within the justice system and fiscal administration continue to be viewed as the most affected by corrupt practices. According to CMS 2025 data, judges, public prosecutors, customs officials, and tax officials rank among the categories perceived as most involved in corruption. Compared to previous years, a notable shift is observed: university lecturers now appear among the groups with higher perceived levels of corruption, replacing political figures who previously ranked at the top of the list.
Conversely, journalists and municipal council members continue to be perceived as among the least involved in corruption, maintaining a relatively more positive public image.
While corruption perception remains high for several key categories, the data also suggest a general decline in the direct association between corruption and specific professions compared to previous years.
These findings reflect an ongoing challenge to strengthen integrity within the justice system and public administration, as well as to restore citizens’ trust in core state institutions.
Perceived corruption pressure reaches high levels, while confidence in change remains low
Citizens’ perceptions of the likelihood of facing corruption pressure continue to increase, while trust in the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies remains limited.
According to CMS 2025 data, 81% of citizens believe that corruption pressure is likely or very likely, a significant increase compared to 67% in 2023. Only 19% consider such situations unlikely.
At the same time, perceptions regarding the possibility of reducing corruption remain highly pessimistic: 77% of citizens believe that corruption cannot be significantly reduced, while only 22% express hope for improvement.
Skepticism is also reflected in how public decision-making is perceived. Only 10% of respondents believe that government decisions reflect citizens’ interests, whereas the majority consider them to favor narrow interests, particularly political parties and powerful economic groups.
These findings underscore the need to strengthen public trust through greater transparency, effective accountability mechanisms, and the consistent implementation of anti-corruption policies.
