Whistleblowing was supposed to bring transparency and courage. Instead, fear and stigma still prevail. Is the law on the protection of whistleblowers a real weapon in the fight against illegal activity, or just a missed opportunity?
Whistleblowing was supposed to bring transparency and courage. In reality, however, fear, stigma, and mere compliance with the law still prevail.
The Act on the Protection of Whistleblowers, adopted in 2019, is intended to protect people who report corruption, fraud, or other misconduct. In practice, however, it faces several challenges—many organizations have implemented only minimal mechanisms, and there is a lack of trained staff, independent verification, and trust in the system.
The biggest obstacles:
- fear of losing one’s job or retaliation,
- poor awareness of whistleblowers’ rights,
- apathy, and the cultural stigma associated with “snitching.”
The Whistleblower Protection Office is intended to be an independent partner, but faces a lack of capacity and lengthy processes. Nevertheless, the data show a positive trend—the number of reports is growing (180 in 2024, already 143 in the first half of 2025). The Office also publishes anonymized decisions on fines, thereby increasing transparency.
What is needed:
greater public awareness and education, strengthening the Office’s capacity, effective internal systems in companies, real protection against retaliation, and a cultural shift in the perception of whistleblowing.
The Whistleblower Act is therefore neither a weak tool nor a missed opportunity—it is a tool with potential. However, this potential will only be realized if fear and mistrust are eliminated and whistleblowing begins to be perceived as an expression of responsibility, not as snitching.
