Brussels/Bratislava – The European Commission (EC) plans to seek clarification from Slovakia regarding a government-approved draft law aimed at dissolving the Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers (ÚOO) and establishing a new Office for the Protection of Victims of Crimes and Whistleblowers of Antisocial Activities. This announcement was made by the EC spokesperson on Monday for TASR.
“We are aware that the Slovak government has presented a draft law intended for expedited parliamentary approval. Naturally, after the law is enacted, we will conduct an analysis,” the EC spokesperson noted.
The spokesperson highlighted that the EU directive on whistleblower protection mandates member states to create independent bodies tasked with receiving and investigating reports of EU law violations in relevant areas. “Consequently, the EC will reach out to Slovak authorities for clarification to fully understand the circumstances,” the spokesperson concluded.
The Slovak government approved the draft law on Saturday (November 22), which proposes the creation of a central Office for the Protection of Victims of Crimes and Whistleblowers of Antisocial Activities, designed to replace the existing ÚOO and assume the responsibility for compensating crime victims from the Ministry of Justice (MS) of Slovakia.
Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) assured that the level of protection for whistleblowers concerning antisocial activities will remain unchanged. “We are merely proposing a structural change to the office while enhancing its competencies in victim protection,” Fico stated. (November 24)
“The European Commission will reach out to the Slovak authorities for an explanation to better comprehend the situation.” EC Spokesperson
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