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The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is developed by Transparency International and it was published for the first time as an annual index in 1995.

The CPI ranks over 100 states in the public sphere. It is a composite index, drawing on 17 different polls and surveys from 13 independent institutions carried out among business people and country analysts, including surveys of residence, both local and expatriate. The CPI focuses on corruption in the public sector and defines corruption as abuse of public office for private gain. The surveys used in compiling the CPI tend to ask questions in line with the misuse of public power for private benefit, with a focus, for example, on bribe-taking by public officials in public procurement. The sources do not distinguish between administrative and political corruption.

The CPI is valuable tool, because it is derived from 17 different surveys that garner the perceptions of both residents and expatriates, both business people, academia and risk analysts. The index provides a snapshot of the view of the decision-makers, who take key decisions on investment and trade. The CPI builds public awareness of the corruption issue and it draws the attention of governments to the negative image of their nation that low rankings in the CPI reflect, adding another reason for them to address the problem.

Bulgaria was ranked in the TI CPI for the first time in 1998 with the score 2.9 points. For the period from 1998 to 2002 the surveys show a slow but steady increase in its value: 3.3 points for 1999, 3.5 points for 2000, 3.7 for 2001 and 4.0 for 2002. With this value our country ranks with Poland and Brazil on the 45th place. For the first time this year there is a slight change in the tendency – the index drops to 3.9 points, which ranks Bulgaria on the 54th place along with Czech Republic and Brazil.

For full details of the TI CPI, visit http://www.transparency.org/cpi/index.html#cpi