According to Transparency International, the countries perceived as having the lowest levels of corruption globally are Denmark (89 points), Finland (88) and Singapore (84).

Estonia's score has improved from 64 points in 2012 to 76 points, but has remained steady for the past three years. The report notes that more work is needed in areas such as lobbying transparency, whistleblower protection and political party funding disclosure.

"At a time when Europe faces serious challenges — from the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising geopolitical tensions to increasing societal polarization — we need effective governance, a healthier political culture and independent, honest institutions that genuinely serve the public interest more than ever before," said Taavi Saat, chair of the board of Transparency International Estonia, in a press release.

"To rebuild public trust, we must take concrete steps to increase accountability among those in power. One of the first and most necessary steps in Estonia is to reform the legislation on political party financing," he said. "It is also crucial to raise awareness about the opportunities created by the new whistleblower protection law and to implement a whistleblower support center in Estonia."

According to Saat, attitudes toward whistleblowers still need improvement in Estonia. In response, Transparency International Estonia, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs, has launched a project to better inform whistleblowers about their rights and protections. "In the coming years, we are placing special focus on raising awareness about corruption prevention in the private sector," he added.

The Corruption Perceptions Index assesses the perceived level of public sector corruption and policymaking integrity based on assessments by external experts and businesspeople. Scores range from 0 to 100, with 0 indicating high corruption and 100 very low corruption.

Transparency International noted that, for the first time in over a decade, the global average score in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is declining.

Out of 182 countries, 122 received a score below 50. Only five countries scored above 80, compared to 12 a decade ago.

Among the Baltic states, Estonia (76) significantly outperforms Latvia (60) and Lithuania (65), which rank 37th and 28th, respectively.

The countries with the worst perceived public sector corruption are South Sudan (9 points), Somalia (9) and Venezuela (10).

The Corruption Perceptions Index is a composite of assessments from up to 13 independent studies and expert groups. It does not reflect corruption in the private sector or money laundering cases.

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