On December 11, 2024, Transparency International Macedonia organized a conference to promote the regional and national report as part of the project: “Fulfilling the Promise of Whistleblowing: Defending Citizens’ Rights and Curbing Corruption” supported by the Balkan Trust for Democracy, a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and USAID.
The event took place in an excellent atmosphere, fostering productive debate that highlighted the challenges faced by whistleblowers and the institutions responsible for their protection. Representatives from institutions appointed to receive whistleblower reports attended the event.
Main conclusions and recommendations:
- Improvement of legal regulations and support for the institutions responsible for ensuring protection, both in terms of staffing and financial resources.
- Increased support and motivation for institutions responsible for external reporting to take more active measures in protecting whistleblowers, with a particular focus on prosecution bodies such as the Ministry of Interior and the Public Prosecutor’s Office of North Macedonia.
- To achieve more efficient and effective protection, institutions appointed with implementing protection mechanisms need to coordinate and enhance their collaboration.
- Training for lawyers and judges is necessary to ensure the efficient handling of whistleblower cases and to prevent delays in court proceedings involving whistleblower protection.
- All relevant institutions, the civil sector, and the media should work together to promote the Whistleblower Protection Law, inform the public about successful outcomes, and demonstrate that the system addressing irregularities in the country functions effectively.
- The Government and the Ministry of Finance should allocate more funds to promote the whistleblower protection system and increase human capacity to achieve better results.
Transparency International Macedonia extends its gratitude to all representatives from the Judicial Council, the Public Revenue Office, the Ministry of Defense, the Customs Administration, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the Ministry of Interior who participated in the event. Special thanks go to the representatives of the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption, the Ombudsman Office, and the Ministry of Justice for their long-standing cooperation and dedication to improving the whistleblower protection system.
A link to the regional and national reports in English can be accessed at https://transparency.mk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/report_fulfilling-the-promise-of-whistleblowing_wb_final.pdf
