Risks of Corruption in the Context of Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

orruption is a social evil that encroaches on certain human values, and various law enforcement agencies and institutions function to combat it. In many countries, the fight against organised crime, as well as crimes in the economic and financial spheres, is handled by various specialised law enforcement agencies. In addition, experts claim that the pandemic has negatively affected the situation with corruption around the world and COVID-19 is a challenge to the anti-corruption fight of each country. Available reports indicate that corruption is widespread throughout the COVID-19 response: from bribery in the procurement of tests, medicines, and provision of medical services for public procurement of medicines and general preparedness for emergencies. This situation has some shortcomings of a total crime prevention and may reduce the priority of the fight against corruption in the general list of combating economic crimes and organised crime. To provide effective counteraction against corruption-related crimes, it is rather important to find out the reasons for them and preconditions of their origin, especially their certain types which have spread during the pandemic. In this context, the research analysis of Ukrainian and foreign scientists from all the world is of particular importance. It will give us the possibility to justify, under modern conditions, the recommendations aimed at improving the drawing up of the content of administrative and criminal offences as well as administrative and criminal sanctions for corruption-related crimes.