New Transparency International contact group launched in Portugal

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A Portuguese contact group for Transparency International, Transpar?ncia e Integridade, Associa??o C?vica (TIAC), was launched today in Lisbon, Portugal. Transparency International is the leading global anti-corruption organisation. TIAC?s mission is to contribute to the strengthening of civil society and to improve the quality of public and private sector governance in Portugal by promoting transparency, integrity and accountability. Some of its main priorities will be raising awareness of the damaging impact of corruption, and empowering and encouraging citizens to participate in the fight against it. Speaking from the Transparency International (TI) secretariat in Berlin, Germany, the organisation?s director for Europe and Central Asia, Miklos Marschall, said, ?TI is delighted to finally have a working partner in Portugal. The calibre, passion and expertise of the individuals involved promise to make TIAC a critical voice for good governance and anti-corruption in the country." In addition to conducting awareness-raising campaigns, TIAC will develop tools for monitoring election campaign financing and promote anti-corruption research. TIAC also intends to evaluate the performance of Portugal?s existing anti-corruption infrastructure, monitor the implementation of international conventions, such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption, of which Portugal is a signatory member, and train agencies responsible for combating corruption. Above all, TIAC aims to put pressure on the political class to put corruption at the top of the government agenda and to carry out the necessary reforms to effectively fight it. ### Transparency International is the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption Media Contacts: Transpar?ncia e Integridade, Associa??o C?vica Luis de Sousa, Chair Email: luis.sousa@ics.ul.pt +351 910 732 907 (Mobile) Transparency International Jesse Garcia Email: jgarcia@transparency.org +49 30 34 38 20 690