Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that those guilty of corruption should be hanged but this is not the method for Russia and urged the enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
Putin attended a session of the regional branch of Russia's ruling United Russia party in the North Caucasus, where he was asked by one of the participants what should be done to eradicate corruption in Russia.
"What should be done to eradicate corruption? Probably [execution by] hanging, but this is not our method," Putin said.
He added that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has already initiated a national strategy on the fight against corruption and approved a package of anti-corruption laws.
"These laws must be enforced and applied effectively," Putin said.
Medvedev signed in April a bill on the creation of a national anti-corruption program for 2010-2011 aimed at eliminating corruption, including among top officials.
The Berlin-based non-governmental anti-corruption organization Transparency International has persistently rated Russia one of the most corrupt nations in the world. In the 2009 Corruption Perception Index, Russia was ranked 146th of 180, below countries like Togo, Pakistan and Libya. The United States was ranked 19th.
A total of 4,500 corruption cases were brought to court in the first half of 2009 in Russia, with 532 public officials and 700 law enforcers convicted.
KISLOVODSK, July 6 (RIA Novosti)
