TIRANA, Jan. 5 – People working in a private company with more than 100 employees and public institutions with more than 80 people could now more safely join the ranks of whistleblowers who under a new bill will be granted special protection to report corruption cases.
The bill which has already been submitted to Parliament for approval envisages fines of up to 100,000 lek (€715) in case public or private companies do not set up a unit in charge of whistle-blowing composed of one or more employees.
“Every action of revenge against the whistleblower including discriminating or disciplinary measures will be punishable by 300,000 lek (€2,145) fines, say the draft law.
The High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Control of Assets of Conflict of Interest has been determined as an external whistle-blowing body.
The government argues the draft law with the fight against corruption which is one of its key priorities to open accession negations after the country was granted EU candidate status in mid-2014.
The bill which has also been supported by the Dutch embassy in Tirana, aims to strengthen fight against corruption by improving legal mechanisms, policy measures, by addressing internal law enforcement and promoting whistleblowing as an efficient instrument in preventing and fighting corruption in Albania.
“I am aware that informing on wrongdoings for many Albanians may sound as something familiar, not so pleasant that may even recall sad memories of the past. Yet, today, after 25 years of democracy, in a state where checks and balances between powers are being built every day, such an approach is no longer a danger. It is rather a necessary institutional development,” Dutch ambassador to Albania Dewi van de Weerd has said.
Few months after the launch of a nationwide campaign against informality, the Albanian government has decided to reward tax evasion spies 5,000 lek (€36) for providing information on businesses engaged in tax evasion. The ordinance, which has already entered into force, envisages that informants can benefit the €36 reward only if introduce themselves to the tax administration and the information and evidence they provide is verified on the ground by special teams.
