The rationale of the project is to provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Justice, as a beneficiary in the project, so that the Ministry can design and implement a public awareness campaign on the theme of corruption and its manifold aspects: causes, risks, approaches to anticorruption. The activities of the project focus around education of the public and the representatives of the target groups (public services, business environment, schools, hospitals, the judiciary etc) in regard to the negative consequences corruption has on democracy and socio-economic development. The project also aims to inform the public about their legal and moral responsibility to fight corruption, as well as about the practical methods to fulfill this responsibility.

The campaign is to address several target groups using customized approaches, given the particularities of each group. The project’s strategy targets both those who may corrupt others, as well as those corrupt in fields of activity which are more vulnerable to corruption: local and central public authorities, the business environment, the public system of education, the public health system, the non-profit sector. Last but not least, the general public is also envisaged.

The approach and messages of the project will be pre-evaluated via research but all will start from the realistic observation that bribing is maintained by ignorance and inertia.

Activities include focus groups meetings, public debates on project themes in the 17 locales, public awareness activities focusing on the legal framework, conferences for journalists.

The project is implemented by Transparency International Romania, as a member of a consortium led by Rambǿll Management, with Concept Foundation and SC CAP SRL as the other two members. The project will be carried out during Dec 2006 – Dec 2007, in Bucharest and 17 other towns.