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In the context of the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity for 2021, the National Transparency Authority (NTA) organised an online thematic discussion entitled: "Integrity and Corruption Risks During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges, Perspectives and Practical Experiences".
More than 225 professionals from public and private sectors had the opportunity to attend the discussion where politicians, NTA’s executives, and other stakeholders shared their experiences on how the pandemic affected work practices and methodologies. The first part of the discussion focused on priorities and challenges in conducting inspections and audits, trends in cybercrime, and worker protection audits. Special reference was made to public health audits in elderly care facilities. The second part of the discussion focused on preventing and raising awareness about corruption risks during the pandemic and the post-COVID-19 economic recovery phase.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Makis Voridis, the Minister of Interior, emphasised the public sector's role in limiting the spread of the coronavirus. This can be achieved through the adoption of teleworking, special permits, and taking all necessary measures to reduce physical presence in the workplace. These measures should not disrupt the provision of services to citizens and businesses during this critical period for society. He underlined the importance of integrity, highlighting the need for both safeguards and a culture of integrity that citizens strongly demand, especially during times of crisis. Mr. Voridis mentioned the collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and the N.T.A. to improve transparency and accountability. The draft law being discussed on the internal audit system and integrity advisors is the most immediate deliverable. He noted that this bill sets the conditions for improving internal control in the public administration.
The discussion was introduced by the NTA’s Governor, Mr. Angelos Binis, who noted that public sector audit bodies had "shown adaptability and flexibility, seeing the health crisis as both a challenge and an opportunity to improve their audit functions".
Mr. Vasilios Papakostas, Director of the Cybercrime Division of the Hellenic Police, presented the increasing trends in cybercrime during the pandemic, the challenges faced by the Cybercrime Directorate and proposals to address them.
Mrs. Anastasia Goutzeli, Head of the Labour Relations Department and Special Inspector of Labour Relations at the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate, referred to the impact of the pandemic on labour relations and the role of the Hellenic Labour Inspectorate, presenting statistical data from inspections in 2020, including categories of violations and measures to support the labour market.
Mr. Dimitris Stamatis, Managing Director of the Municipal Development and Operational Units Corporation (DAEM) of the Municipality of Athens, presented specific actions taken by the Municipality of Athens to increase transparency and facilitate citizens' access to municipal services during the pandemic.
The NTA’s executives, Mrs. Margarita Thomaidou, Inspector - Auditor, Head of the Economic and Development Sector of the Inspections and Audits Unit, Mr. Panayiotis Stamboulis, Inspector - Auditor, Head of the Welfare Subdivision of the Inspections and Audits Unit and Mrs. Anastasia Sotiropoulou, Special Legal Adviser to the Governor of the National Transparency Authority spoke about how the pandemic affected the Authority's strategic and operational plan, as well as the NTA’s actions to prevent corruption, ensure the rule of law and public integrity, not only during the immediate response phase of the pandemic, but also during the recovery phase and return to normality.
The full discussion can be viewed at the following link: https://youtu.be/rSf5AcW8z2Q