FORMANDENS VELKOMSTTALE TIL IACC

Verdens største anti-korruptions konference IACC blev sat i gang mandag formiddag den 22. oktober 2018. Konferencen afholdes i Bella Centeret i København, i en tid hvor Danmark kæmper med flere korruptionssager. Det er dermed et oplagt tidspunkt at sætte fokus på korruption, og overveje om vi i Danmark har de relevante kontrolmekanismer.
Transparency International Danmarks formand, Natascha Linn Felix var med til at byde alle IACC deltagerne velkommen sammen med Statsminister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, den afghanske president Ashraf Ghani, formanden for rådet i IACC Huguette Labelle samt formanden for Transparency International Delia Rubio. Du kan læse Nataschas tale herunder.

Honored Guest, Colleagues and fellow anti-corruption activists.

Thank you for traveling all the way to Denmark to engage and contribute at these three days ahead of us and thank you for allowing me to say a few words. And a special thanks to the Government for hosting the IACC this year.
As the chair of the National Danish Chapter of Transparency International, it is truly amazing to be able to stand here today. Here in Denmark, the past months and weeks has given us numerous reminders, that no country is an island when it comes to global corruption schemes and that no-one is born with a special gene that prevents corruption. Denmark has long been found in the top of the Corruption Perceptions Index, but that doesn’t mean that power and access don’t corrupt the Danes.
We have seen examples of control systems failing and allowing individuals to steal from the most vulnerable in the Danish society. We have also seen how all countries play a role in global corruption schemes and how a Danish bank can be used to launder unbelievable amounts of dirty money.
Denmark has in our view had a tendency to act a bit as an island were corruption could not find a way in. That is no longer a realistic self-understanding and I see the Danish initiative to host this conference as a pivotal initiative to unset a new era in Denmark that marks a turnaround in that regard.
The national action plan coming out of today’s high level segment will be our first on anti-corruption, and it is a promising start to a process were Denmark can start delivering on international promises and commitments to integrity. We can no longer rest assured that we didn’t have to because Denmark had a special status in our own eyes.
Next month GRECCO will visit us again, so let’s hope that this time they will find a Danish action plan that addresses some of the concrete recommendations they have given us. Maybe that can change our unfortunate standing as non-compliant.
The fact that we are here together is reason enough to be ecstatic and excited, because when it comes to integrity and anti-corruption, so much more than laws and procedures is at play. It is about the conversation and the trust we build in each other that can allow us to fight together against the temptation that lies right at the feet of everyone entrusted with power and position. I am very humble about that look so much forward to spending the coming three days with you all  – to all the inspiration and exciting talks I know lies ahead! I hope you will enjoy your stay and wish you all a fantastic conference.