Спасибо за внятный ответ.

Исключительно только для справки:
Список источников,на основе которых TI составляет раз в год Corruption Perceptions Index:
http://www.transparency.org/cpi/2003/dnld/survey_sources2003.pdf

yeah, I know. EIU, Freedom House, Gallup, expatriate businessmen... I happen to know whom these guys routinely poll. So what? There's also, for example, an index for comparative cost of living in various cities, also compiled on the basis of similar polls - do you have any doubts it's a piece of bullshit? I don't have any - and I'm one of those polled and one of those using the index for my own purposes. I also use the TI index when it serves my needs - even though I know one shouldn't really trust it :)

sorry i had to switch PCs an hour ago and don't have Cyrillic keyboard here. Had to switch to English...