The Council of Europe, in collaboration with the High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets and Conflict of Interest (HIDAACI), organised a roundtable with businesses and business associations on whistleblowing and the protection of whistleblowers.

The event focused on the implementation in the private sector of Albania’s new Law on Whistleblowing and Protection of Whistleblowers and the relevant secondary legislation. By lowering the threshold for businesses required to establish responsible units for the protection of whistleblowers, the law brings a wider range of companies within the scope of these obligations.

The roundtable provided an opportunity for direct dialogue between HIDAACI and private-sector representatives on the application of the new framework, including trusted reporting channels, confidentiality safeguards, protection against retaliation and the role of responsible units.

Addressing the event, Giulia Re, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, stressed that laws alone are not enough: effective implementation requires trusted and accessible reporting channels, capable responsible units, and meaningful safeguards against retaliation.

The roundtable was the first in a series of awareness-raising events that the Council of Europe will organise in cooperation with HIDAACI, helping businesses throughout Albania understand and apply their responsibilities under the new framework.

The activity was organised under the project Enhancing Public Sector Resilience Against Corruption, co-funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe.