Whistleblower Protection
The Law on the Protection of Whistleblowers of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Law) establishes the protection mechanism for persons who have submitted information about a violation in an institution with which they are connected or were connected by service or employment relations or contractual relations. The Law also establishes the rights and obligations of persons who report violations in institutions, the bases and forms of their legal protection, as well as the means of protection, promotion and assistance of these persons, in order to create adequate opportunities to report violations of the law that threaten or violate the public interest, to ensure prevention and disclosure of such violations.
According to the Law, information about violations is provided for:
- danger to public safety or health, personal life or health;
- environmental hazards;
- obstructing or unlawfully influencing investigations conducted by law enforcement authorities or courts in the administration of justice;
- financing of illegal activities;
- illegal or non-transparent use of public funds or assets;
- illegally acquired property;
- concealing the consequences of the committed violation, preventing the determination of the extent of the consequences;
- other violations.
A person can provide information about a violation:
- at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (hereinafter – the University) through the internal channel for providing information about violations (e-mail at praneseju.apsauga@lsmu.lt or by filling out a questionnaire (the questionnaire only works for current employees of the University);
- to the competent institution (prosecutor’s office) directly;
- in public.
In order to effectively implement the provisions of the Law, the resolution of the Government of the Republic of no. 1133of 14 November 2018 “On the Implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Law of the Republic of Lithuania” the following are approved:
- Description of the procedure for remuneration of whistleblowers for valuable information;
- A description of the procedure for compensating whistleblowers for experiencing negative impacts or possible consequences as a result of the submitted report;
- Description of the procedure for implementing internal channels for providing information on violations and ensuring their functioning.
The description of the procedure for the implementation of internal channels of information on violations and ensuring their functioning determines the requirements for the internal channels of information on violations implemented in institutions, their functioning, provision of information on violations, investigation, handling and confidentiality assurance in the institution.
The description of the procedure for providing information on violations at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Description) determines the provision of information about violations that may be prepared, being committed or having been committed at the University and the University’s legal entities (Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Practical Training and Testing Centre, LSMU Baisogala Animal Husbandry Centre and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Gymnasium), receiving information about violations by the University’s internal information about violations channel, its assessment and decision-making procedure.
The person who is or has been connected with the University or the University’s legal entities through service or employment relationships or contractual relationships (study, consultancy, contract, internship, practice, volunteering, etc.) has the right to submit information through the internal channel of providing information about violations at the University.
A person providing information about a violation at the University can provide it in one of the following ways:
- Contacting the competent subject by e-mail at praneseju.apsauga@lsmu.lt and forwarding the completed violation notification form;
- By filling out the questionnaire (the questionnaire is valid only for current employees of the University).
The whistleblower will be treated with confidentiality.
The requirement to ensure confidentiality does not apply when:
- it is requested in writing by the person who submits or has submitted information about the violation;
- the person provides known false information.
A person does not incur any contractual or delicti liability for providing information about a violation, as well as liability for insulting honour and dignity, for defamation, if, when providing information about a violation in accordance with the law, they reasonably believed that they were providing correct information.
A person is liable for damages caused by providing information about a violation only if it is proven that the person could not reasonably have believed that the information they provided was correct.
Providing known false information, as well as information constituting a state or official secret, does not provide a person with guarantees according to the Law. A person who has provided known false information or disclosed a state or service secret or a professional secret shall be liable in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.