Whistleblowers to get protection starting in January

PARLIAMENT passed the Whistleblower Act, drafted by the Interior Ministry and designed to provide protection for whistleblowers. The legislation was passed by 115 out of 128 lawmakers present on October 16.

PARLIAMENT passed the Whistleblower Act, drafted by the Interior Ministry and designed to provide protection for whistleblowers. The legislation was passed by 115 out of 128 lawmakers present on October 16.

“We want to extend guarantees to them that their jobs and previous relations will be protected,” Robert Kaliňák said, as quted by TASR. “We want them not to fear reprisals but come forward and report practices that are either violating the law or legal norms.”

According to the ministry, it is often company employees who possess relevant information about corruption and are in need of protection from potential retaliation of their employer. In order to increase their motivation to report such tings, the state will offer them free-of-charge legal representation and protection as well as a potential financial bonus if the perpetrator of the crime they reported is convicted, the TASR newswire reported.

Those who reported crime may receive reward in amount of 50 minimum wages which would be currently €17,600 after a perpetrator of a crime is sentenced and Interior Ministry approves that, according to the Pravda daily.

Some opposition MPs pointed out that the act may be abused since people will use it as a tool in their personal conflicts but Kaliňák is not worried about the Whistleblowing Act being abused.

“There’s the threat of libel and false testimony to take into account [for bogus whistleblowers],” he said, as quoted by TASR, “and it’s up to the prosecutor to judge whether the report is made up or not.”

(Source: TASR, Pravda)

Compiled by Roman Cuprik from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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