corruption


No Picture

Why are we afraid of lobbies?

MADRID | By Laura Alcaide (Guest post) | Spaniards, and Europeans in general, are reluctant to let lobbies participate in the political arena. Although it is true that these powerful groups can move the threads behind the scenes, as it happens with many industries in Washington, they can also make consumers’ voices heard and help citizens to fight nepotism and corruption.


No Picture

Royal Drama and Gürtel Case Stir Debate Over Corruption In Spain

MADRID | By Ana Fuentes and Julia Pastor | It’s been five years since the Gürtel case, the major corruption scandal that has rocked Spanish politics -187 people, 78 of them political figures and 61 businessmen targeted- . The same week, and for the first time in the country’s history, a direct member of the Royal family will testify before a judge on Saturday, over accusations of tax fraud and money laundering. Is Spain a more corrupt country than its neighbors or transparency is reigning at last? An interesting question as two major media moguls (El Mundo and La Vanguardia) known for speaking up have been relieved from their posts.


JPMorgan

Bombshell: JPMorgan Secretly Paid Daughter of China’s Ex-Premier $1.8 Million

By Ray Kwong | China’s embarrassingly ineffective anti-corruption campaign re-enters the spotlight as a damning New York Times investigative report reveals that JPMorgan secretly employed the daughter of former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, the leading figure behind Beijing’s economic policy. Chinese government officials have long been “praised” for their skills to ensure their family’s futures, with some saying their collective efforts equal at least 3 percent of China’s GDP.


spain corruption

Why is Spain Under Suspicion- A Foreign Correspondent’s View

MADRID | By Stefanie Claudia Müller | Foreign media is astonished by how rarely Spaniards seem to protest against corruption within their own state. Although the correspondents try to sell these stories, at home no one seems to be much interested in publishing them, because the fact of a corrupt Spain is according to many European newspapers “old news.” This highlights the fact that Spain’s image problems are not recent.


No Picture

To Really Root Out Corruption, Chinese SOEs Need Reform

BEIJING | Via Caixin Magazine | Chinese SOEs, the state behemoths, use systems that make dictators of top managers, a situation that must be addressed for corruption to be rooted out. Appointed outside directors, and learning from advanced economies such as Britain, can be a solution, he magazine believes.



corruption

The economics of corruption

MADRID | By JP Marín Arrese | Serving the public is a life-long profession that should never get stranded in the pitfall traps of money.


State subsidies to the ship industry

The Spanish tax lease case may cause shock waves

MADRID | BY JP Marín Arrese | The piecemeal strategy in addressing unwarranted aids likely to grossly distort the allocation of resources might end up fuelling uncertainty and a massive stampede from investors.