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July 13 2025 07:56:10 by PCLMedia
 
A recent Eurobarometer survey has found that a significant majority of Maltese—83%—believe corruption is widespread in Malta. This figure stands notably higher than the EU average, where 69% of citizens across member states feel that corruption is prevalent in their respective countries.

The Special Eurobarometer, published in July, was based on data collected between January and February of this year. It aimed to gauge public perceptions of corruption across Europe, with respondents asked about their views on the extent of corruption in their home countries.

In Malta, over 80% (83%) of respondents said they believe corruption is widespread, while only 9% thought it was rare. Just 7% were uncertain, and 1%—despite not being prompted—claimed there was no corruption at all in Malta.

Across the EU, the average response indicated that 69% of citizens think corruption is widespread in their countries, while 26% considered it rare, and 5% were unsure.

Notably, this marks a 12% drop in the perception of corruption compared to last year’s survey. This decline was split evenly between those who now see corruption as rare (+6%) and those who were unsure (+5%).

Maltese citizens were more likely than other Europeans to believe corruption is prevalent within both national (82% vs. 73% EU average) and local/regional public institutions (79% vs. 70% EU average).

In all the corruption-related categories listed in the survey, Maltese respondents consistently reported higher levels of perceived corruption compared to the EU average. For example, over half of the Maltese respondents felt that corruption is widespread in political parties (60%), among politicians (56%), building permit issuers (58%), and public tender officials (50%). In all of these areas, the perception in Malta was notably higher than the EU average.

Additionally, Maltese respondents were more likely than Europeans to believe corruption exists in areas such as private companies (35% vs. 31% EU), business permit issuance (47% vs. 21% EU), healthcare (30% vs. 25% EU), police and customs (41% vs. 22% EU), tax authorities (33% vs. 17% EU), courts (35% vs. 17% EU), and the public prosecution service (31% vs. 15% EU).

Corruption's Impact on Daily Life: A Local Concern

While Europeans, in general, were less likely to feel that corruption affects their daily lives, 52% of Maltese respondents believed it does. This is significantly higher than the EU average, where only 30% of citizens felt the same way. Conversely, 64% of EU citizens disagreed with the statement, while only 40% of Maltese did.

Among younger Maltese (ages 15-24), a staggering 68% felt corruption directly impacted their daily lives—more than double the EU average of 29% for this age group.

Interestingly, the survey also revealed a slight increase in the tolerance for corruption in Malta. The percentage of Maltese who said they tolerate corruption rose by 6%, reaching 24%. The EU average remained unchanged at 30%. Despite this, a significant majority of both Maltese (74%) and Europeans (64%) still view corruption as unacceptable.

Witnessing Corruption: Maltese Share More Frequent Experiences

Maltese respondents were nearly twice as likely as Europeans to report having witnessed or experienced corruption in the past year. Just under 10% of Maltese (9%) admitted to encountering corruption firsthand, compared to only 5% of Europeans. Additionally, 23% of Maltese respondents personally knew someone who had taken bribes, compared to the EU average of 9%.

Business and Politics: The Perception of Corruption in Malta

The survey also highlighted that perceptions of corruption in Malta’s business and political sectors were more widespread than in other EU countries. For instance, 59% of Maltese agreed with the statement that political connections are essential for success in business in Malta, a 5% increase from last year. However, there was a 9% drop in the number of Maltese who felt that high-level corruption cases are not pursued adequately—yet 70% still shared this concern, surpassing the EU average of 66%.

Barriers to Reporting Corruption: Fear of Retaliation

One of the most significant reasons Maltese respondents cited for not reporting corruption was fear of retaliation. Forty percent of Maltese stated there is no protection from retaliation for whistleblowers, including in the workplace, a far more common response than the EU average of 43%, who primarily cited difficulties in proving corruption claims.

Other reasons included the belief that reporting corruption would be futile, as those responsible would not face punishment (36%), and fear of trouble with the police or other authorities (35%).

Despite these concerns, a majority of both EU citizens (61%) and Maltese (41%) trust the police to address corruption cases. However, Maltese respondents showed greater confidence in anti-corruption agencies (30%), the national ombudsman (25%), the media (21%), and NGOs (16%) than in the national justice system, including courts and prosecutors (15%).

The Eurobarometer survey was based on 26,354 interviews across the EU’s 27 member states, with 503 responses from Maltese citizens.
 

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