Albania Launches Public Consultations on Whistleblower Protection Law

Tirana, Albania - In a significant step towards implementing the country’s whistleblower protection law, the Albanian government has launched a public consultation process to gather feedback from civil society organizations, businesses, media representatives, and other stakeholders.

Public Consultation Process

The consultations were carried out by Partners Albania, a local non-governmental organization, in collaboration with the High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Audit of Assets (HIDAACI) and other state institutions. The draft bylaws for the whistleblower protection law were shared through various channels, including social media, email, and online platforms.

Consultation Events

Public consultation events were held in five cities across Albania, attracting a total of 240 participants from local government institutions, civil society organizations, businesses, media representatives, and other stakeholders. The consultations aimed to gather input on the structure, selection criteria, and employment issues for employees in public institutions’ units responsible for implementing the whistleblower protection law.

Units Established

The Albanian government has also established 155 units in central government institutions and local government units to handle whistleblowing cases. To build capacity among these units, Partners Albania organized training sessions for HIDAACI staff, with a focus on whistleblower protection and handling of complaints.

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

Partners Albania has been providing technical assistance to state institutions and other stakeholders through the implementation of its project supported by the Netherlands embassy in Tirana. The organization also organized a study trip to the Netherlands for HIDAACI staff to learn from international best practices in whistleblower protection.

Awareness-Raising Campaign

The awareness-raising campaign, launched in October 2016, has been ongoing, with promotional materials disseminated online and through major urban centers. Television spots, billboards, and social media posts have been used to inform the public about the law’s benefits and penalties for non-compliance.

Expectations

While it is too early to expect concrete cases of whistleblowing, civil society experts believe that further progress in judicial reform will likely encourage such cases as trust in institutions increases.

Recommendations

The International Research and Methods (IRM) researcher has praised Partners Albania’s role in implementing this commitment and recommends continued awareness-raising and training activities for the law’s successful implementation. The next action plan is expected to focus on monitoring and practical implementation of the whistleblower protection law in public and private sector institutions.