Kosovo’s government adopts advanced draft law on whistleblowing

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Source/Author: Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Source/Photo: Kosovo's government meeting | Photo by: www.kryeministri-ks.net

PRISTINA, 14.06.2018 – The Draft Law on Protection of Whistleblowers received the green light from the Government of Kosovo and was preceded for adoption in the Assembly. This draft law foresees the protection of whistleblowers who disclose information about any breach of law or suspicion that threatens and violates public interest in their workplace, whether in the public or private sector, without fear of being punished by the employer.

The Ministry of Justice, as sponsor of this draft law, in public consultations with other relevant civil society actors has foreseen that this draft law has three types of alerts, including internal, external and public whistleblowing. Reporting the information to the employer under the provisions of this law is considered to be internal whistleblowing, reporting information to the competent authorities such as the Prosecution and Police is considered to be external whistleblowing and revealing information to the media, non-governmental organisations, through the Internet, at a public meeting, or in any other way is public whistleblowing.

Apart from providing the protection of the rights of the whistleblowers and the confidentiality of the responsible persons who receive and treat the information from them for any breach committed by their employer, this bill also attaches special importance to judicial protection for them in case if they are harmed in the future within the institution, organization or company where they work, they are entitled to judicial protection by filing a lawsuit for the damage caused to them in connection with their whistleblowing.

In case of adoption of this draft law by the Assembly of Kosovo, then this law would inevitably affect the strengthening and protection of freedom of expression in the country.