Germans Weak on Bribery Discipline

Bribery is not penalized enough in Germany, according to Transparency International (TI), an anti-corruption group. The legal provisions against bribery are "far beneath the international standard," despite repeated scandal in the country, TI Germany chief Hansjörg Elshorst said in Berlin on Thursday. "In almost every comparable country in the world, bribery of parliamentarians is penalized," but not in Germany, he said. Elshorst urged the Bundestag, Germany's lower chamber of parliament, to quickly ratify the UN Convention on Corruption. Bribery is responsible for annual losses of €5 billion ($6.6 billion) in the German construction industry alone, he said. TI said it supports the introduction of a Germany-wide corruption registry. Businesses that take part in criminally activity should be kept from applying for public funding, the Berlin-based organization said