Word on the Street: Corruption

"It's an absolute catastrophe. The government has allowed this situation to happen in the past 20 years. It started with Havel, who never pushed anyone. This country is a banana republic."

Mertlová, pensioner

"No improvement has taken place since the revolution. The problem is the people and the government. People should be held liable. Today, I'm afraid, nobody investigates anything - which is the worst part of the situation."

Hana Kadlecová, lawyer

Mertlová

Hana Kadlecová

Bedřich

Vlasta

Milena Randel

Ilona Hajslová

"Corruption has always existed and will always exist. It is indestructible. It is an inherent attribute. Everyone always envies other people. People fight like animals. Now [Supreme Audit Office Director František Dohnal,] who had a flat for about 700,000 Kč per year, is being investigated, but that's not just his fault; it's the fault of the system itself. Have they ever imprisoned anyone for corruption? No, they have not. You know what, Nietzsche put it correctly: What is there in the world? There is the sky above me, and there is a moral code within me."

Bedřich, pensioner

"It's getting worse and worse. A very strong corruption environment already exists in the lowest strata of the state system. For example, in my experience, construction departments act as a state within a state. It is not about candies and chocolates; in most cases, nobody simply respects the rules. The worst nepotism exists in small towns where everyone knows everyone owes something to somebody. You either yield to the system or you have to pay a lot to your lawyer. And the populist talks of the new politicians? I don't believe that - no way!"

Vlasta, high-school teacher

"I assume it's still too early to judge the new government, which is way too busy quarreling about internal things. I hope this will stop and that they'll start dealing with real issues. Fighting corruption is still the same. Politicians are only human. There is always someone who offers and someone who accepts. I have been living in the United States for the past 15 years, and I must say the situation is the same everywhere."

Milena Randel, pensioner

"Nothing has improved, and it's the government's fault. They have not convinced me they are willing to do something about corruption. I'm afraid it's in us, as humans. I reckon there simply is not a sufficient number of politicians who want to fight corruption because they are corrupt themselves. But I don't think we are doing significantly worse when compared with other countries."

Ilona Hajslová, shopkeeper