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Old Saint Basil's Cathedral in MoscowJohnson's Russia List title and scenes of Saint Petersburg
Excerpts from the JRL E-Mail Community :: Founded and Edited by David Johnson
#15 - JRL 2008-122 - JRL Home
Russian Watchdog Says Public Attitude Key To Defeating Corruption

MOSCOW. June 26 (Interfax) - The success of the anti-corruption drive in Russia depends on the public's attitude, rather than administrative measures, Yelena Panfilova of Transparency International Russia told a Thursday roundtable in Moscow.

"I do not think that administrative measures are sufficient to defeat corruption," she said.

People do not mind giving and taking bribes, and this is a core problem, she said.

"A bribe for convenience and a bribe for survival are elements of the corrupt mind," Panfilova said. "A bribe for convenience is particularly dangerous, because it is given by people who can resolve their problems without that."

"It is necessary to put the right emphasis on the suppression of corruption and to do that professionally," she said.