NEW CORRUPTION CHALLENGES IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
NEW CORRUPTION CHALLENGES IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Summary/Abstract: The role of law enforcement institutions in the fight against corruption is important and indisputable. However, legal mechanisms for the fight against corruption are not enough. The issue of increasing the integrity and transparency of law enforcement institutions themselves is increasingly being raised. Today, new manifestations of corruption are becoming especially important when rapidly developing innovative digital technologies are used and new types of corruption appear. There are gaps in the existing system that hinder the fight against corruption. Therefore, it is necessary to raise the issue of strengthening the effectiveness of supervision and control of this criminal activity – from changes in legal regulation to strengthening institutional resources. The purpose of the study is to reveal the concept of corruption and judicial practice in combating the most advanced manifestations of corruption. The following research methods were applied: analysis of scientific literature and legal acts, data collection, systematization and generalization. The article presents criminal acts of a corrupt nature using data collection and systematization methods. In the Lithuanian Courts Information System, the public search system for court decisions and legal acts e.teismai.lt, available criminal case rulings for 2020–2025 were found, which allowed us to analyze the composition of corruption-related criminal acts in the practice of Lithuanian courts (Supreme Court of Lithuania, Klaipėda and Kaunas Regional Courts). Cases were selected that allowed us to reveal corruption-related criminal acts under Articles 225–228 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania, to confirm or deny the signs of crimes, as well as to confirm or deny corruption-related acts related to the use of advanced technologies. Based on the results obtained, generalizing conclusions were formulated. Corruption is also characteristic of law enforcement institutions themselves, when law enforcement officers commit crimes for personal gain, disregard ethical norms, moral duties, the principles of honesty and transparency. 2020–2025 The analysis of case law has shown that corruption-related criminal acts are committed by civil servants holding different positions. Law enforcement officers themselves are also punished for bribery under Article 225 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania, for trading in influence under Article 226 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania, for bribery under Article 227 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania and for abuse under Article 228 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Lithuania. When making decisions in corruption cases, courts take into account whether the bribery was committed only with direct intent, whether the necessary elements of a criminal act are present, and whether the intermediaries being bribed are aware of the danger of the actions being taken and want to act in this way. The analysis of the fight against corruption by law enforcement institutions has led to the conclusion that corruption is multifaceted and undermines the rule of law and its security. The rule of law promotes equality of all citizens before the law, ensuring that no one, including leaders or other individuals, is above the law, and the law operates on the principles of accountability, transparency of government institutions and independence of the judiciary. However, after conducting an analysis of the case law in criminal acts of a corruption nature for 2020–2025, it was not possible to identify a single case where acts of a corruption nature were committed using advanced digital technologies.

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