Students given guide on gift-giving

Bucharest, Romania (AP):

A new anti-corruption campaign is being launched in Romania, this one aimed at students who give gifts to their teachers.

A civic group and the government have teamed up to produce and distribute a guide that tells students that giving their teachers gifts such as flowers or money is "an act of masked corruption", often aimed at winning favours.

A recent survey indicated 61 per cent of students aged 16 to 26 have given such gifts in Romania, where corruption is widespread. But some do that merely to show appreciation for the hard work of their teachers, a poorly paid profession in Romania.

Beginning next month, the guide will be distributed in Bucharest to high school students. It is not legally binding.