Zaščita žvižgačev v kazenskem postopku

Dražumerič, Sara (author), Gorkič, Primož (mentor)

Osebe, ki so velikokrat prve seznanjene z grožnjami ali škodo za javni interes in imajo s tem, ko prijavljajo kršitve nepravilnosti, ključno vlogo pri razkrivanju in preprečevanju takšnih ravnanj, imenujemo žvižgači. Glavni problem pri tem pa je strah pred povračilnimi ukrepi, ki odvračajo od tega, da bi prijavili svoje pomisleke ali sume kršitev. Kljub vse večjemu zavedanju o vrednosti in pomenu žvižgačev imajo le štiri države Evropske unije (EU) pravne okvire za njihovo zaščito, ki veljajo za sorazmerno napredne, to so Luksemburg, Romunija, Slovenija in Združeno kraljestvo (nekdanja članica EU), medtem ko ima preostalih 23 držav delno urejeno pravno zaščito za zaposlene, ki prijavijo kršitve nepravilnosti, ali pa ga sploh nima. Številne trenutno veljavne določbe o prijavljanju nepravilnosti vsebujejo vrzeli in pomanjkljivosti, posledica česar je, da lahko žvižgači, ki menijo, da so zaščiteni pred povračilnimi ukrepi, šele po prijavi ugotovijo, da nimajo učinkovite pravne zaščite in pomoči. Spodbudno je, da je več držav EU v zadnjih letih sprejelo ukrepe za večjo varstvo pravic prijaviteljev nepravilnosti ali pa izdalo predloge in objavilo načrte za nove zakone. Z uradnim sprejetjem Direktive EU o zaščiti žvižgačev se je začelo dvoletno obdobje priložnosti, da države članice EU implementirajo direktivo v nacionalne pravne sisteme in tako na področju zaščite žvižgačev uveljavijo celovito, pregledno in jasno zakonodajo oziroma vzpostavijo javni dialog, s ciljem vzpostavitve večjega varstva žvižgačev. S tem namenom želim v magistrskem delu predstaviti sedanjo ureditev varstva prijaviteljev nepravilnosti in ugotoviti, kako jih država ščiti ter kakšna pravna sredstva so jim trenutno na voljo. V zaključku dela predstavim prihajajoče zakonodajne spremembe na osnovi implementiranja Direktive EU o zaščiti prijaviteljev. Ta predlaga določene izboljšave, ki bi pripomogle k večji zaščiti prijaviteljev nepravilnosti in posredno k spodbujanju le-teh k prijavi takih dejanj.

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Žvižgač, žvižgaštvo, procesno varstvo, Direktiva EU o zaščiti žvižgačev, Komisija za korupcijo.
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: PF - Faculty of Law
• Year: 2022
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-137610
• COBISS.SI-ID: 116893699
• Publication date in RUL: 23.06.2022

Secondary language

• Language: English
• Title: Protection of whistleblowers in criminal proceedings

Abstract

Persons who are often the first to know about threats or harm to the public interest and play, by reporting breaches of the law, a key role in exposing and preventing such breaches are called whistleblowers. However, potential whistleblowers are often discouraged from reporting their concerns or suspicions for fear of retaliation. Despite increasingly greater awareness of the value and importance of whistleblowers, only four EU member states have established legal framework for their protection, namely Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia and the United Kingdom (ex-EU member state), which are said to be considerably progressive in that regard, while the remaining 23 members states only have a partly established legal framework for the protection of employees who report breaches, or none at all. Many current provisions about breach reporting are flawed and insufficient; after filing a report, whistleblowers who believe that they are protected against retaliation may thus realise that they are not entitled to effective legal protection and support. It is encouraging, nonetheless, that in the recent years several EU members states have adopted measures to ensure greater protection of the rights of whistleblowers or issued a proposal and published plans for new legislation. With the adoption of the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law, EU member states have been given two years to implement the Directive in their own national legal systems, thus adopting comprehensive, transparent and clear legislation related to the protection of whistleblowers, or open public dialogue to ensure greater protection of whistleblowers. With this aim in mind, I want to present in my master's thesis the current regulation of the protection of whistleblowers as well as determine in what way they are protected by the state and what remedies they have at their disposal. In the conclusion of the thesis, I also want to present upcoming legislative changes based on the implementation of the EU Directive on the protection of whistleblowers. The Directive proposes certain improvements that could result in greater protection of whistleblowers, encouraging them to report breaches of the law.

• Keywords: Wstleblower, whistleblowing, procedural protection, EU Directive on the protection of whistleblowers, Commission for the Prevention of Corruption.