The Whistleblower Protection Office (UOO) rejects political interference in its independence, Alexandra Znášiková of the UOO press department has told TASR in reaction to a bill approved by the government earlier on Saturday.
According to the office, the move is a targeted attempt to remove its leadership—especially chair Zuzana Dlugošová—after the office imposed several fines on the Interior Ministry and warned against planned legislative changes. The office argues the reform threatens its independence and undermines trust in whistleblower protections. It also claims the interior minister is in a conflict of interest and sees no justification for fast-tracking the bill.
The Interior Ministry says the new office is needed to address gaps in current legislation, particularly unclear employer–whistleblower relations and fragmented victim-protection responsibilities. Prime Minister Robert Fico insisted that whistleblower protections will remain unchanged, describing the reform as an organisational restructuring that expands the office’s agenda to include crime victims.
Opposition parties condemned the move as an attack on the rule of law and an attempt to seize control of an independent watchdog that had sanctioned the Interior Ministry. SaS, KDH and Progressive Slovakia parties argued the government is dismantling functioning institutions to install political allies, comparing the step to the recent restructuring of public broadcaster RTVS (now STVR). They warned that sensitive whistleblower data could be compromised and that the reform serves as retaliation against an office whose leadership’s term would otherwise continue until 2028.
The bill is set to take effect upon its official publication.
Source: TASR
