Source: hellenicparliament.gr
The introduction of a new whistleblower protection law has been delayed in Greece. The legal reforms necessary for Greece to implement the EU Directive on Whistleblowing (2019/1937) have lacked transparency and inclusiveness according to civil society organisations working to ensure the government uses the transposition process to introduce robust and effective protection in the country.
The tenure of the Committee responsible for the development of the new draft law had its tenure extended on 18 June until 15 November 2021, just one month before the deadline for the Directive to be fully transposed in all member states, leaving little time for proper public consolation on the proposals which must also be debated and voted on in Parliament to meet the 17 December 2021 deadline.
On the 14 July 2021, 48 Members of the opposition filed a question in Parliament on transposition progress. Among the questions posed, MPs asked why the Committee set up by the Ministry of Justice to prepare the draft law has not informed or consulted the civil society organizations about their work and whether the Committee estimated to conclude its work on time in order for the government to introduce the new law to Parliament before December 17.
Minister of Justice Konstantinos Tsiaras published his response, stating “the Committee can not at this stage proceed in the provision or publication of any data, given that these are being processed by its members”.