ZAGREB, September 27, 2018 – The Croatian government sent to parliament on Thursday a bill designed to protect those exposing any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not correct within an organisation that is either private or public.
The whistleblower protection bill includes all legal standards for the protection of whistleblowers, given that until now Croatia did not have an integral act which would regulate this topic in a uniform fashion.
The bill includes general regulations, principles and rights of whistleblowers and their protection. It also regulates the procedure for reporting irregularities and the conduct following the report.
The new bill regulates that a whistleblower must receive a feedback within 60 days of his reporting the wrongdoing and must be given access to the case and case files.
Justice Minister Dražen Bošnjaković said that this government-sponsored bill sends a message of encouragement to all those who detect irregularities to report them being aware that the state has mechanisms to deal with this.
Under the bill, whistleblowers will be entitled to court protection, compensation, identity protection and confidentiality. The protection measures are extended to the people who are connected with whistleblowers.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that generally speaking the bill would most definitely contribute to the fight against corruption.
