Transparency International has released its Corruption Perceptions Index 2019, with Georgia ranking 44th among 180 countries and territories across the world, standing on top of all Eastern European and Central Asian countries.

In the index, which measures sector corruption according to experts and business people, Georgia has received 56 scores of total 100. It means that Georgia is the top-scoring country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, among 19 countries.

In the last year survey Georgia ranked 41st with the score of 58.

Only 3 countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia scored above the global average: Georgia (56), Belarus (45) and Montenegro (45).

According to Transparency International, this year’s analysis shows corruption is more pervasive in countries where big money can flow freely into electoral campaigns and where governments listen only to the voices of wealthy or well-connected individuals.

Eastern Europe and Central Asia is the second-lowest performing region on the CPI, with an average score of 35. Only three countries score above the global average: Georgia (56), Belarus (45) and Montenegro (45). At the bottom of the region are Turkmenistan (19), Uzbekistan (25) and Tajikistan (25).

According to the report, undue influence over key institutions continues to present the utmost challenge to political integrity in Georgia, which dropped two points on the CPI since last year. Among 180 countries Georgia is on the 44th place.

The index ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. It uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. More than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43.

The top countries are New Zealand and Denmark, with scores of 87 each, followed by Finland (86), Singapore (85), Sweden (85) and Switzerland (85).

The bottom countries are Somalia, South Sudan and Syria with scores of 9, 12 and 13, respectively.