The anti-corruption task force held another meeting on Friday at the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice. At this round of consultations conducted with the participation of civil organisations, including representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce, the Budapest Corvinus University, the Budapest Institute, the Forum of Civic Cooperation, the Council of Geopolitics Foundation, the Magyar Conquest 2000 Society, the Joint Venture Alliance, the K-Monitor Public Association, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Transparency International Hungary and átlásztó.hu, attendees discussed issues concerning the protection of whistleblowers.
The anti-corruption task force held its first meeting last December. The purpose of the task force is to develop the most transparent possible consultation mechanisms with the involvement of all stakeholders, including the representatives of civil organisations, in the interest of the implementation of the Government’s anti-corruption programme.
The regular meetings create an opportunity for consultations between the Government and civil organisations. At the Friday meeting, attendees discussed the issue of public interest disclosures, the protection of whistleblowers and the relevant legal regulation. The Ministry looked into the possible review of the legislation currently in force by relying on background materials prepared by Transparency International Hungary, amongst others, and drafted the concept of the proposed new legislation.
After the consultations conducted with civil organisations, the public administration debate on the proposed legislation may soon begin. The main goal is to create a regulation that reinforces responsible civic attitudes and the more effective exposure of cases of abuse.
The Government approved the Anti-Corruption Programme of Public Administration last March and also made decisions on the measures that are necessary for its implementation. This is a significant step forward in the fight against corruption as there had been no government-level anti-corruption programme since the change of regime.
The objective is to create a public sector that recognises, condemns and prevents corruption. This may help establish ethical values which will enable public administration and public administration services to set an example for the business sector and which may thereby also help reduce business-related corruption indirectly.
The draft of the Green Book containing the ethical guidelines to be observed by state agencies is now complete and will soon be disclosed for public debate. In the interest of promoting coordinated ethical regulations, public service agencies and centrally financed institutions will be able to create their own customised occupational and organisational codes of ethics on the basis of the guidelines laid down in the Green Book.
(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)
