International Whistleblower Day: Urgently adopt FBiH law and strengthen legal protection of whistleblowers

TI BiH notes that only every tenth whistleblower in Bosnia and Herzegovina can use legal protection mechanisms because the current laws do not recognize them because they do not provide sufficiently broad and strong protection!

Banja Luka, 23. June 2021 – Today, Transparency International in Bosnia and Herzegovina (TI BiH) marks the International Day of Whistleblowers or Persons Reporting Corruption from Their Work Environment. The fight against corruption is inconceivable without brave individuals who, by sharing knowledge about the work they do, reveal corruption scandals or prevent major abuses of power in a timely manner. Whistleblowers are often faced with retaliatory measures such as professional degradation, disciplinary prosecution, mobbing, expulsion from the professional environment, etc. due to the reports they submit.

The Global Transparency Movement (TI) on this day reminds all governments around the world of the need to provide special legal protection for whistleblowers to protect these individuals and their families from the retaliation they suffer as they choose to report corruption. TI BiH reminds that the Law on Protection of Persons Reporting Corruption has not yet been adopted in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and calls on members of the FBiH Parliament and political leaders to adopt this law as soon as possible. Currently, persons employed in the private or public sector in the FBiH who report corruption do not enjoy adequate legal protection in the event that harmful actions are taken against them simply because they have pointed out irregularities in their work.

According to TI global data, in the first six months of this year alone, nearly 2,000 people in 60 countries requested legal support from TI Centers for Legal Aid in the Fight against Corruption due to reports of corruption related to COVID-19. As expected, the pandemic increased the number of reports to the health sector, and people usually complained about difficult access to health services and medical equipment, which was partially disrupted by the creation of corrupt networks that used the health crisis to illegally increase profits.

TI BiH notes that only every tenth whistleblower in Bosnia and Herzegovina can use legal protection mechanisms because the current laws do not recognize them because they do not provide sufficiently broad and strong protection. It is necessary to improve the legal regulations at the level of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina by expanding the definition of corruption, to protect all persons who report irregularities related to corruption or threats to public health or environmental protection, as well as to eliminate the procedure. make harmful actions more efficient. Whistleblowers must be provided with timely protection, immediately after filing a corruption complaint.

Press rls-23.06.21