On Thursday, 20 January, the Saeima adopted in the final reading a new Whistleblowing Law, thus improving the previous whistleblowing regulation and transposing the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law.

According to the summary of the Draft Law, the new regulation was drafted as the process of transposing the EU directive and specifying the existing provisions underlined the necessity for substantial amendments to the Law.

The new Law specifies the areas and breaches that grant special entitlement to whistleblowing, as well as the circumstances that permit public whistleblowing.

From now on, protection against adverse effects caused due to whistleblowing will be available not only to the whistleblower and his or her relatives, but also to other related persons, for instance, colleagues, entrepreneurs, or legal entities governed by private law that the whistleblower is associated with.

The new Law expands on the previous list of the possible adverse effects caused due to whistleblowing and sets a higher administrative liability, including establishing liability for the disruption of whistleblowing.

The Law also specifies the requirements for personal identity protection, as well as the receipt and review of whistleblower reports in the private and public sectors. The requirements for submitting an electronic report are also reduced.

The new Whistleblowing Law will come into force on the day following its proclamation.

Saeima Press Service