Source: aktuality.sk
Slovakia’s Office for the Protection of Whistleblowers (Úrad na ochranu oznamovateľov, ÚOO) has confirmed a landmark €90,000 fine against the Ministry of the Interior for violating the whistleblower protection law.
The fine reportedly stems from actions taken by the Minister of the Interior Matúš Šutaj Eštok, who allegedly removed former NAKA investigators Ján Čurilla and colleagues from active service upon assuming office, without prior consultation with the whistleblower protection office. The affected police officers were identified as whistleblowers and granted protection by the Prosecutor of the Office of the Special Prosecution, an office subsequently abolished, according to the media reports.
According to sources quoted in an article, the Ministry anticipated the fine, as the decision at the second-instance decision of the Office. The Ministry of the Interior has reportedly announced it will challenge the decision, stating it intends to file a lawsuit with the administrative court.
The office initially imposed the fine in June, with Chairwoman Dlugošová quoted in the press that the fine sanctioned a “mass violation of the law” and a collective penalty, rather than addressing individual cases. The fine of €90,000 is close to the maximum permissible amount of €100,000 under current national whistleblowing regulations which implement the EU Directive on Whistleblowing.
The UOO has also recently reported an increase of cases, reporting that in the 3rd quarter of 2024, it handled 43 new cases of reported misconduct and received 13 cases of alleged retaliation against whistleblowers. Each case is assessed to ensure it qualifies for protection under the law.