On 26 November 2024, the Ombudswoman organised a seminar on the implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA), intended for confidential persons appointed by employers and their deputies.
The aim of the training was to enhance understanding of their role, including the rights and obligations in handling internal whistleblowing procedures within their organisations. This seminar continues a series of free educational sessions previously held by the Office of the Ombudswoman in various cities across the Republic of Croatia.
In the first, theoretical part of the seminar, participants were introduced to the provisions of the WPA, particularly the key concepts and fundamental principles, methods of reporting, the rights of whistleblowers and the possibilities of their judicial protection, as well as misdemeanor provisions and the practical challenges faced by whistleblowers and confidential persons.
To better prepare participants for the practical application of the WPA when handling whistleblower reports, the second part of the seminar focused on its application through a hypothetical case.
Confidential persons are responsible for conducting the internal whistleblowing procedure, which, along with external reporting and public disclosure, is one of the legally prescribed methods of reporting irregularities. As part of this procedure, and for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the WPA and how whistleblowers exercise their protection, they are obliged to inform the Ombudswoman, as the competent authority for external reporting, of all received whistleblower reports and the outcome of the procedure within 30 days from the date of the decision on the report.
More information for whistleblowers and confidential persons is available here.