Whistleblowing is one of the most important mechanisms for uncovering and preventing corruption and other violations harmful to society. However, in Latvia, it remains insufficiently effective, concludes Transparency International Latvia (Delna) in its assessment of the whistleblowing system.
TI Latvia’s latest report analyzes the current whistleblowing regulations and identifies several opportunities for improvement. While Latvia’s regulations largely meet the minimum standards set by the European Union, in practice, whistleblowers often face retaliation, discrimination, and other negative consequences — or fear of them — which discourages reporting of violations.
TI Latvia offers recommendations for improving the Whistleblowing Law and its implementation, with the key suggestions being:
- Ensure that whistleblowers can report anonymously;
- Clearly establish accountability for violations such as failure to implement whistleblowing systems and the disclosure of a whistleblower’s identity;
- Expand the competencies of the Whistleblowing Contact Point;
- Provide clearer explanations of the Whistleblowing Law’s content to both institutional representatives and the broader public;
- Continue public awareness efforts about whistleblowing to promote better understanding.
As TI Latvia’s acting director Krista Asmusa notes: “Improving the Whistleblowing Law is just one step. The next, and perhaps most crucial, step is working with society. We must dispel the prejudices surrounding whistleblowing and recognize that often a whistleblower is the only person capable of preventing or at least exposing significant violations affecting the public.”
Full report in English “Evaluation of The Latvian Whistleblowing Law” is available here->.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
