Corruption Reduction Events, June 2004

A Corruption Reduction Conference was held in Moscow, June 11-13, as part of CCI's Next Steps: Transition to Transparency Program. CCI alumni from across all regions of Russia converged on Moscow as a follow-up to the Symposium on Corruption Reduction held in Washington, D.C. and Moscow, March 2004.

The initial symposium was a fact-finding mission to learn the world's experience in corruption reduction to take back to Russia. The purpose of this conference was to hear the results of what participants had initiated in their regions as a result of the symposium, create a strategy for grassroots action, and build an association to address honest business practices.

The opening session of the conference was an opportunity to hear what everyone had achieved since the March symposium. The most successful initiatives were the local press conferences. CCI alumni went home, spoke with journalists, and got their message out in newspapers and magazines. The most impressive result was a three-page article, including photographs, from Novosibirsk. Roundtable discussions with officials were high on the list of accomplishments. Conferees appear committed to their new tasks and are sure that they must continue, although this is thankless work that requires time they can little afford.

At a press conference on June 11 at the Moscow Independent Press Center, the participants faced a challenging group of journalists who wanted to know precisely what entrepreneurs could show for their efforts.

Vladimir Pozner, Russia's celebrated TV journalist, spent two hours with the alumni goading them to come up with a "hook," something sensational that would produce top ratings. Pozner wants to do a second program on corruption reduction, but was clear that Russian TV is commercial and assurance of ratings is of the utmost importance. He recommended they use pungent humor and intrigue, perhaps like a reality show. A private TV producer in the group took on the challenge to produce a short sit-com show, something like "A Day in the Life of Entrepreneur Ivanov."

The second day of the conference was taken up with association building. After heated debates and numerous suggestions on each aspect of initiating and developing this association, resolutions were decided upon. The association is to be named "For Honest Business," a direct title for a highly focused piece of work. Board members for the first year were voted on. PEP lawyers are doing research to determine how to register the association. The decision was taken to include only PEP graduates for the first year and then to fan out with invitations to non-PEP-trained entrepreneurs, who are recommended by PEP alumni. There was a strong commitment to the PEP network with many acknowledging that they trust those who have participated in PEP, who have had the U.S. experience that has changed their mentality.

The next stages of the new association will be accomplished through email and the website. Association members live in all eleven Russian time zones, so convening the group frequently will be difficult. Meanwhile they are acting as if the association already works. Their objectives are formed and their determination set. Please continue to check the website to follow their progress.