BRATISLAVA, November 7, (SITA) — People reporting cases of corruption could be rewarded in the future for informing law-enforcement bodies of these illegal practices while they should be provided efficient protection as well, mainly to not lose their job. This the focus of a new draft bill on whistleblowers reporting criminal activities from the Interior Ministry’s workroom. Minister Daniel Lipsic (KDH) would like to submit it to the Cabinet by the end of this year. „We have the working draft prepared, it is my ambition that it is discussed by the Cabinet and then probably by the next parliament, Lipsic told journalists on Monday. He explained that the aim of the new bill is that those who announce corruption or other criminal activities were protected and not prosecuted.
Lipsic discussed the new legislative piece with Czech Deputy Prime Minister Karolina Peake who is a cabinet member responsible for fighting corruption. She agreed with Lipsic in the point that in the end the person reporting corruption is the one who is prosecuted and not the one to be awarded or provided satisfaction in some other way for reporting a bribe.
The minister underscored that in the past Slovakia registered cases when people courageous enough to report such activities have been prosecuted at work. “It is important that decent people were protected, potentially also rewarded for their courage and those against whom motions are filed were prosecuted,” thinks Lipsic. The reward could be up to ten percent of the saved potential damage but one should get it only after the court closes the respective case. Lipsic said that their inspiration in writing the draft was the related legislation in other countries, for example in the United States.
SITA