The Ministry of Interior is drafting a bill that would hike up the financial rewards for people reporting corruption, meaning whistle-blowers could get up to EUR 17,600, provided the case is successfully prosecuted and the Ministry acknowledges the payment.
An article in today’s Pravda looks at the planned legal arrangement, which sets the maximum reward as 50 times the minimum wage (approx EUR 17,600). The Ministry of Justice will decide on whether to award a reward or not within 6 months of the application, with its decision on the amount being final.
The bill also facilitates employees to report practices of their employers anonymously, hopefully protecting them from loss of their job. The law will be discussed in August and would take effect from 1 January 2015 subject to approval by Parliamentary.
Strange, the Govt. threw out similar opposition proposals, twice. The lack of employment protection will deter whistle-blowing and the paltry reward offered is hardly an incentive. I am sure if the reward was say 10% of the amount involved then cases like Interblue etc. would not be languishing under the GP’s carpet.