Transparency International Slovakia (TIS) is participating in the ‘SAFE for Whistleblowers’ project, a new initiative aimed at strengthening the protection of whistleblowers across the European Union.
‘Strengthening and Fostering Enabling Environment (SAFE) for Whistleblowers’ is funded by the European Union and implemented by Transparency International Secretariat alongside national TI chapters and partners. The project aims to support the establishment of an enabling environment for protection of whistleblowers, with a focus on Czech Republic, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovakia.
Whistleblowers play a critical role in uncovering corruption and ensuring transparency within both public and private sectors. Despite this, many potential whistleblowers face significant barriers, including fear of retaliation, uncertainty about reporting procedures, and scepticism about the impact of their disclosures.
SAFE for Whistleblowers aims to address these challenges by:
- Raising public awareness about the importance of whistleblowing.
- Enhancing the capacity of organisations to implement effective whistleblowing systems.
- Supporting national authorities in enforcing whistleblower protection laws.
- Collecting and analysing data to assess the effectiveness of whistleblowing frameworks.
TI Slovakia’s Role
Transparency International Slovakia will pilot a whistleblower protection caselaw database in Slovakia. This involves monitoring decisions made by relevant authorities, including whistleblowing authorities, prosecutors, and courts. The goal is to make these decisions available in an easy and accessible manner for legal practitioners and the general public. This database will serve as a vital resource for understanding and navigating whistleblower protection cases.
Transparency International Slovakia will conduct surveys of public and/or private organizations using a model questionnaire to identify capacity gaps and challenges these organizations face in effectively implementing the Directive and administering an Internal Whistleblowing System (IWS). The surveys aim to uncover best practices as well. The findings from these surveys will be crucial in developing targeted recommendations for improvements, including guidance, training, and mutual learning activities.
Transparency International Slovakia will organize webinars (online workshops) for national authorities and civil society organizations (CSOs), bringing together representatives from both sectors. The organization will participate in select webinars and actively promote these events to relevant national authorities. Additionally, Transparency International Slovakia may support the inclusion of national authorities as panelists, allowing them to share their experiences, discuss challenges, and present good practices. This will cover essential topics such as ensuring confidentiality, providing support for whistleblowers, implementing protection measures, and offering remedies in cases of retaliation.
The Whistleblowing Office in Slovakia (Úrad na ochranu oznamovateľov) was established on September 1, 2021, and will be a key partner in these initiatives.Piloting whistleblower protection caselaw databases in Slovakia: monitoring decisions of the relevant authorities (whistleblowing authorities, prosecutors and courts) and making them available in an easy and accessible manner to all legal practitioners and the public in general.
Building on this experience and expertise, TI Slovakia will collaborate with project partners on several SAFE for Whistleblowers key activities:
Improving knowledge about Whistleblowing
- World Whistleblowers Day Campaigns: Transparency International Slovakia will actively participate in campaigns related to World Whistleblowers Day (WWBD), raising awareness and promoting understanding of whistleblowing issues among the public and relevant stakeholders.
- National Whistleblowing Protection Law Summary: The organization will prepare a concise, two-page document that outlines the national whistleblowing protection law. This document will be based on a template provided by Transparency International Ireland (TI IE), ensuring consistency and clarity in the information presented.
Improving implementation of Whistleblowing laws at the workplace
- IWS Questionnaire (IWSQ):
- Provide Feedback: Transparency International Slovakia will review and provide detailed feedback on the draft self-assessment questionnaire designed to help organizations implement effective Internal Whistleblowing Systems (IWS).
- Testing: The organization will also test the questionnaire by assessing its own Internal Whistleblowing System, ensuring that the tool is practical and effective for real-world application.
- Model Training Materials:
- Feedback on Training Materials: Transparency International Slovakia will evaluate and provide constructive feedback on the model training materials and the “train-the-trainer” program. These materials are designed to guide organizations in effectively implementing IWS.
- Training Participation: The organization will participate in the “train-the-trainer” program, contributing to the preparation and dissemination of best practices for implementing effective whistleblowing systems in various workplaces.
Improving implementation and enforcement of whistleblowing laws by national authorities
Improving availability of gender-disaggregated data on Whistleblowing
Improving the effectiveness and coherence of EU Directive´s implementation
- Cross-border Exchanges Between National Civil Society Experts:
Participation in Bi-monthly Meetings: Transparency International Slovakia will actively participate in bi-monthly meetings with other civil society organizations (CSOs) across the EU. These meetings will focus on sharing information, addressing challenges, and exchanging best practices regarding the implementation of the EU Whistleblowing Directive in different EU Member States.
- Report on Implementation and Effectiveness of the EU Directive:
Provide Input and Feedback: The organization will contribute to the development of a report by providing input through a structured questionnaire and offering feedback on the findings. This report will assess the implementation and effectiveness of the EU Directive across various Member States.
- Multi-stakeholder Regional Event:
Participation and Sharing of Project Outputs: Transparency International Slovakia will participate in a multi-stakeholder regional event, where it will share insights and outputs from the project. This event aims to foster collaboration and dialogue among various stakeholders involved in the implementation of the Directive.
- Paper on Implementation and Effectiveness of National Law:
Development of a Short Paper: Transparency International Slovakia will develop a concise paper that evaluates the implementation, effectiveness, and compliance of Slovakia’s national whistleblowing law with the EU Directive. The paper will also identify best practices and provide recommendations for further improvements.
The SAFE for Whistleblowers project will run until early 2026. For further information on the project see here: SAFE for Whistleblowers – Transparency.org
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.