The Democratic Party has written to top European Union officials urging them to "fast forward" and create EU-wide whistleblower laws.
In a statement issued on Saturday, PD said that it had sent letters to top policymakers in Brussels, Maltese MEPs and Europarliamentarians forming part of the ALDE political grouping, which PD forms a part of.
Among those officials are European Parliament president Antonio Tajani, Commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans, Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulou.
“PD’s call for a uniform and standard European Union-wide whistleblower protection mechanism will ensure that the true principles of a Whistleblower Act are upheld, and when any person is awarded whistleblower status, that status shall be respected and enforced by all member states,” the party said.
PD wants the EU to define the concept and status of a whistleblower and to enact laws which would allow an individual to petition the superior courts of any member state to obtain whistleblower protection, valid throughout the EU.
The European Union is already in the process of drafting EU-wide whistleblower rules. Last April, the European Commission unveiled its proposals for such a directive, including clear mechanisms and obligations for employers, clear reporting channels both within and outside organisations, and a three-tiered reporting system.
Under the proposals, the burden of proof will be reversed when a whistleblower says they have suffered retaliation, with the onus on employers to disprove that claim.
The directive must be approved by MEPs and then passed by the member states at European Council level before it will come into effect.
Currently, only 10 EU member states have whistleblower legislation in place. Malta is among those 10, though its whistleblower protection laws have come in for criticism.
“The implementation of our whistleblower act leaves much to be desired,” the PD said in its statement, citing the Jonathan Ferris case as an example. Mr Ferris is a former FIAU official who was denied whistleblower status last March.
“Such a system does not seem to work when the whistle-blower has evidence against the current executive or high government officials,” PD said.
The PD letter was signed by party leader Anthony Buttigieg, deputy leader Timothy Alden and MPs Godfrey and Marlene Farrugia.