Combatting and preventing corruption in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia (along with Belarus, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) are part of the Eastern Partnership, which, together with the multilateral initiative Union for the Mediterranean, determines the European Neighbourhood Policy. The European Union and Germany in particular have been supporting the transition to democracy, rule of law and a sustainable market economy in their eastern neighborhood since the 1990s. Yet the rule of law, as a fundamental prerequisite for a functioning democracy, social justice, freedom and enduring peace, remains a pipe dream for many people in Eastern Europe. Reports on transformation processes often cite corruption as the key factor hindering the development of sustainable reforms, regardless of whether those reforms target good governance, public administration, the judiciary or competition, or whether the topic is entrepreneurship, property rights, political participation, health care or education.