RUSSIAN companies are seen as the most likely to pay bribes in foreign business dealings, according to Transparency International, an anti-corruption NGO. In its “Bribe Payers Index” published on Tuesday December 9th, almost 3,000 senior business executives ranked firms from Russia as the worst among 22 countries for offering backhanders to everyone from politicians to low-level public officials. Firms from other big emerging economies such as China, Mexico and India were next in the bribery stakes. Companies from richer countries are less likely to grease palms (with the exception of Italy), with Belgium and Canada seen as least likely to pay bribes.

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