TIME TO WAKE UP

The international anticorruption organization launched a social campaign titled ‘It’s time to wake up!’. On this occasion the international Chair of Transparency International visited Budapest and drew the attention to the detrimental consequences of corruption.

‘It is not enough to wake up, you also have to act against corruption!’ – said Huguette Labelle, Chair of TI. Transparency International has decided to launch a global campaign because it is not enough that citizens are aware of corruption threatening their living and future in general, but should also become conscious that each member of society feels the effects of corruption on their own skin. Furthermore, the campaign aims to encourage anyone who does not want to watch the abuses passively.

Ádám Földes, executive director of Transparency International Hungary stressed that the organization’s legal aid service has also been launched with the goal to provide legal assistance to all wanting to take actions against corruption or have already become victims of it. However, it is important that the protection of whistleblowers is properly secured in a law as well. ‘The institutional preconditions of a state protected whistleblowing system have not been created yet.’ – added the leader of the organization.

During her two-day visit to Hungary Huguette Labelle met with the President of the Supreme Court as well as the President of the Constitutional Court. As any action against corruption is inefficient if the judiciary does not work efficiently on the top of the system, the conditions of that in Hungary were discussed in the meetings. Ms Labelle emphasized that a transparent judiciary, independent of the executive power, with the ability to protect honest people and sanction wrongdoings is of outmost importance in tackling corruption. ‘It is important that the judicial reform in Hungary is carried out accordingly.’ – said the Chair of the international anticorruption organization.

The campaign ‘It’s time to wake up!’ can only be successful through appropriate collaboration, therefore the organization has also asked for cooperation from the media. An international video was made for the campaign and the Hungarian organization also shot its own video.