Michalis Hadjivasilis
Parliament voted yesterday on one of the three bills, which are expected to crack down on corruption in Cyprus. He voted in favor of a bill that protects people who complain about acts known to whistleblowers.
The bill, which was spearheaded by MP Irini Charalambidou, who submitted a bill five years ago, protects employees who have information about acts of corruption of their superiors, in case they file a complaint. The Minister of Justice and Public Order, Stefi Drakou, expressed her satisfaction for the passage of the bill yesterday.
In a statement, it said that the passage of the bill for the protection of persons who report violations of the law and in particular possible acts of corruption, creates a powerful security mechanism, in order to encourage employees to report and provide relevant information obtained in their work environment. . From today, he said, employees in Cyprus who file complaints to the competent authority on a case-by-case basis will enjoy full protection. No person will be subject to retaliation, such as dismissal, harassment and a negative change in their working conditions.
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This bill is one of three related to the broader anti-corruption effort, which is expected to create a strong framework for enhancing transparency. The bills concerning the establishment and operation of the Independent Authority against Corruption and Transparency in Public Decision-Making Processes (known for the lobby) are currently pending in Parliament.
The whistleblower bill is the result of the efforts of members of the House Legal Committee. The Minister of Justice stressed the cooperation and the atmosphere of goodwill shown by the parliamentary parties, voting in favor of the bill and wished that the other two bills pending before Parliament be passed, in order to create a comprehensive legal framework against corruption.
