This year Kosovo is ranked slightly lower in the global index of corruption, which is published annually by the anti-graft watchdog Transparency International on Tuesday.

With 43 points, Kosovo ranked 76th out of 182 countries and territories worldwide, dropping three places compared to the previous year.

Transparency International explains that the Corruption Perception Index, CPI, score reflects the perceived level of public-sector corruption. 

A country’s score is the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100, where 0 means highly corrupt and 100 means very clean. A country’s rank is its position relative to the other countries in the index. Ranks can also change based on the number of countries included in the index that year.

The Prishtina-based think tank, the Kosovo Democratic Institute, said the year-long political crisis in the country halted anti-corruption reforms, interrupting an upward trend that had lasted for a decade.

“The decline represents stagnation in the fight against corruption and is directly linked to the parliamentary crisis following the elections of February 9, 2025, which blocked the normal functioning of institutions and the implementation of reforms in anti corruption.”

The Kosovo Democratic Institute added that, “refusal to cooperate with law enforcement by those at the highest executive level undermines public trust in the independence of the judiciary and severely damages the culture of public accountability, affecting perceptions of corruption,” taking as an example the refusal of acting prime minister Albin Kurti to appear before the Special Prosecutor’s Office despite several requests.

Kosovo has been included in the Corruption Perceptions Index since 2012.

Of the countries in the region, Montenegro had the highest score in 2025 with 46 points, unchanged from the previous year. North Macedonia followed with 40 points, also unchanged. Albania scored 39 points, a decline from 42 in the previous index. Bosnia and Herzegovina scored 34 points, while Serbia recorded 33 points, both lower scores compared to last year.

“In the Western Balkans, a lack of transparency in decision-making on major investment projects is a common weakness,” the report said. 

It added that the “suspension of transparency rules and the use of discretionary powers are exposing public funds to corruption risks and undermining public trust.”

Transparency International noted that the data used to compile the index covers various forms of corruption in the public sector, including bribery, misuse of public funds, abuse of public office for private gain without consequences, governments’ ability to curb corruption, excessive bureaucracy, political appointments in the civil service, laws that allow public officials to avoid declaring assets or conflicts of interest, legal protection for whistleblowers, state capture, and access to information on public issues and government activities.