On February 4, 2022, the “Law on the Protection of Persons Reporting Violations of Union and National Law, 2022,” Law No. 6(I)/2022 (hereinafter referred to as the “Law”), was published. The purpose of the Law is to ensure a comprehensive, effective, and robust legal framework for the protection of workers in the public or private sector who disclose information and evidence that comes into their possession or becomes known to them within the workplace and relates to specific violations of Union and/or national law.
The protection of whistleblowers requires that the report be made with a name, provided there are reasonable suspicions that the information on violations is true. However, the Law also applies in the case of anonymous reporting of violations if, after the anonymous report, the whistleblower is identified and subjected to retaliation.
Furthermore, the conditions for the protection of persons making reports are defined. Legal entities in the private and public sectors are also required to establish channels and procedures for internal reporting of violations, and procedures are established for reporting through internal reporting channels.
There is also an obligation on competent authorities to establish independent and autonomous external channels for receiving and managing information on violations, as well as an obligation to manage and examine such information.
Protection is also provided to a person who makes a public disclosure of violations under certain conditions, and there is an obligation to maintain confidentiality regarding the identity of the reporting person, including any information from which their identity can be directly or indirectly inferred.
Measures are also established to protect the reporting person from any retaliation against them, as well as support measures for them.
Finally, criminal offenses are established for obstructing the submission of a report, retaliating against a reporting person, initiating abusive proceedings against a reporting person, violating the obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the reporting person’s identity, and submitting false reports or false public disclosures.
Submission of Internal Report
The internal report is submitted in writing on a special form which is posted on the website of the Digital Security Authority under the section Whistleblowers, or orally – via telephone or other voice messaging systems, and through a personal meeting with the responsible officer.
Socratis Socratous – Officer of Legal Affairs
+357 22693199
[email protected]