Slovenia scored 56 out of 100 points on the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the same score as a year ago but lost one spot in the rankings to place 42nd among 180 countries.

Having hit its lowest score on record in the 2022 report, Slovenia keeps lagging behind the EU average of 64 points but remains above the global average, which has stayed at 43 points for twelve years.

The Slovenian chapter of Transparency International (TI), the organisation that compiles the report, said the country's score signifies further stagnation and insufficient efforts to prevent corruption.

Slovenia shares the same place with its neighbour Italy and Dominica. It lost one spot because the Czech Republic improving its standing by a notch since last year to 41st.

The report, which measures perceived levels of corruption in the public sector, keeps Denmark on top for the sixth year running with 90 points, followed by Finland, at 87, and New Zealand, at 85 points.

TI Slovenia attributes Slovenia's poor performance in the index to the worsening of judicial system.

"In order to effectively sanction all corruption crimes and ensure oversight it is important that decision-makers provide not only better laws and processes but also independence, resources and transparency to the judicial system," TI Slovenia president Neža Grasselli was quoted as saying.

Last year Slovenia failed to adopt a reformed corruption prevention resolution to replace the existing 20-year-old document. The TI urged decision-makers submit the resolution for public consultation and to adopt it as soon as possible.

The KPK argued the country needed systemic change, accountability and a socio-political consensus on the importance of corruption prevention.

"Our country has been stagnating if not declining for years in the fight against corruption," said KPK head Robert Šumi said, calling for a change in mindset along with systemic change.

The Corruption Perceptions Index is calculated based on data from 13 sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private consulting companies, brain trusts and others.

Slovenia received the highest number of points (68) from Freedom House Nations in Transit, which mostly measures the state of democracy. The World Economic Forum, promoting health business cooperation between the public and private sector, scored Slovenia the lowest, at 45 points.