Amid the prosecution of two journalists over the Novartis scandal, the European Commission has again urged the Greek government to integrate into national law a directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of corruption, EURACTIV has learned.
The EU’s whistleblower directive provides protection to whistleblowers across the block and replaces an “uneven and fragmented approach” at the national level. It was adopted in October 2019, and member states had until December 2021 to transpose it into national law, something Greece has failed to do.
“As guardian of the Treaties, the Commission will take all necessary measures to ensure the effective enforcement of the directive. On 28 January 2022, the Commission addressed a letter of formal notice to Greece for failure to communicate the measures taken to transpose the directive by the deadline of 17 December 2021,” EU Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said in response to a formal question by a Greek EU lawmaker.
Leftist MEP Stelios Kouloglou informed the EU executive not only had the deadline been missed, but much of the preparatory work was also incomplete.
“The relevant parliamentary committee has not completed its work, and public consultation with civil society and stakeholders has not progressed,” Kouloglou said.
The MEP added that although the opposition and NGOs have urged for transparency, the conservative New Democracy government (EPP) has unjustifiably delayed the process by constantly postponing it....
The HYDRA Commissioner has clarified that HYDRA will not interfere with houses built in old layouts on ULC (Urban Land Ceiling) lands , nor with unregularised vacant plots in such layouts. He urge...