Vocabulary notes

collusive улаженный тайным сговором

agreement 1) согласие; 2) договор, соглашение (документ)

to come to an agreement прийти к согласию

agreement of opinion единомыслие

to perfection 1) заканчивать; 2) совершенствовать expressly 1) определенно; 2) специально, нарочито;

3) срочно

to maintain 1) поддерживать, удерживать, охранять;

2) содер­жать; 3) оказывать под­держку, защищать, от­стаивать; 4) утверждать

to maintain one's composure сохранять спокойствие

to maintain one's family содержать семью

He maintained that he Он утверждал, что он

was right. прав.

relevant уместный, относящийся к делу

commitment 1) вручение, передача; 2) передача законопректа в комиссию; 3) заключение под стражу; 4) обязательст­во; 5) совершение (прес­тупления)

to violate нарушать, попирать, преступать

pecuniary денежный

incarceration заключение в тюрьму

to inflict наносить, причинять, налагать mild мягкий

dismissal 1) роспуск; 2) увольнение, отставка;

3) освобождение; 4)отпуск to dismiss отпускать, увольнять

profit 1) польза, выгода; 2)прибыль, доход on behalf of smb. от имени кого-либо

conspicuous видный, заметный, бросающийся в глаза condemned осужденный

patrimony 1) наследство; 2) наследие

to requisition 1) реквизировать; 2) предоставлять заявку to aggravate отягчать, усугублять, ухудшать, обострять extortion вымогательство

Text 4

The corrupted person who reports the payment of a bribe to the legal authorities before being investigated is not punishable ac­cording to Article 236 of the Greek penal code. This is also the case in Germany which, in addition, allows for the acceptance of bene­fits that have been authorised beforehand. In Sweden, when sums amounting to less than 500 SK. are involved, the act is not consid­ered a corruption crime. According to British legislation, a passive actor who is in good faith and unaware of the illicit nature of the payment is not punishable for corruption. In Romania, the party that has been forced to pay the bribe has the right to be reimbursed the amount paid. A large number of states punish attempted corruption as well as accomplished corruption. Consequently, not only the concession or acceptance of benefit of a predominantly economic nature are punishable as a major offence, but also the mere promise to give or receive. The same penalties are applied for attempted cor­ruption that are envisaged for committed corruption.

On the contrary, Germany envisages milder sanctions for at­tempted active or passive corruption. According to the laws of nu­merous states, the benefits resulting from corruption need not nec­essarily be of an economic nature, but can also be of an abstract nature, such as improved career prospects, speeding up of paper work, etc. The important thing is that the beneficiary, the corrupted person or his/her family can improve their position with respect to the previously held one. The states that have adopted the wider definition of the concept of «advantage» are Germany, Greece, the UK and the Netherlands, while there are of course countries like Austria, Denmark, Finland, etc. that prefer a more material defini­tion.

Only Denmark and Sweden have laws that expressly prohibit corruption in the private sector. This is positive and should be imitated by the other states in order to encourage a greater sense of morality and correctness among the economic operators.