Source: apps.odok.cz
Initial interdepartmetnal proceedings on an amended draft Bill to transpose the EU Directive on whistleblowing have begun in the Czech Republic.
NGO Oživení, have raised concerns about the proposal, highlighting two major shortcomings in the new version, with regard to the limited scope of the protection and the omission to accept anonymous reporting.
On the material scope of the draft law Oživení said:
“The material scope of the Bill only applies to misdemeanors in selected areas of the law. This means the whistleblower may have to assess whether the offence is a misdemeanor, or a crime. We therefore recommned the original version of the Bill where the whistleblower ccould report all crimes and misdemeanours. This broader appraoch would also enable the whistleblower to report undeclared illegal work and many other breaches of law, which at this point are not covered by the Bill“
On the anonymous whistleblower regulation, the NGO said:
“The amended version of the Bill regulates this issue in a inconsistent way and in contradiction with the EU Directive as it forgets the obligation to accept anonymous notifications in case the identity of the whistleblower come to light and retaliatory measures are taken against him.“
According to the legislative plan, this Bill will be voted on in September and then would come into effect in July 2023.