Fighting Corruption: What Conditions Can Encourage Kyrgyz State Officials to Inform Against Their Colleagues?

Abstract

This paper analyses the possibility of implementing a mechanism known as “whistleblowing” among state officials of the Kyrgyz Republic. The main problem of integrating this mechanism is a mindset of people due to Soviet heritage where civil society believed that “whistling” was a truly negative and betraying action. Thus, the topic of using whistleblowers in fight against corruption led to mixed opinions and feelings among Kyrgyz society. In order to understand people`s concerns over the issue this paper is analyzing a row of interviews on the topic and existing models of corporate governance, ethical sides of the issue and organizational loyalty. Due to the necessity of drawing a full picture on the obstacles of the implementation, during the research survey and interviewing took place. Moreover, this paper is showing the latest reports of international monitoring over whistleblowing in the West and uncovering some spread perceptions of whistleblowing and corruption as well. Detailed analysis and interpretation of interviews showed that whistleblowing as an instrument against corruption is unlikely to work in our society today. State officials are still concerned about such issues as loyalty, morality and what seems more important and sufficient-security. Since most of them do not believe that state can provide a sufficient and effective mechanism of protection of informers, a common fear about one`s safety and reputation does exist. And while corruption and kinship relations take its roots from the high level of the state it seems doubtful that people will inform against someone in the sake of own security.