Whistleblower laws and protections are instituted in countless governments around the world. And now, they have been established in the Vatican to aid in the fight against corruption.
The Vatican published this statement outlining the new procedure for reporting acts of fraud or irregularities in finances or material resources.
It clarifies that Vatican employees and collaborators can submit reports in written form or orally in some cases and assures that the identity of the person will only ever be revealed to the Judicial Authority, if necessary. But it also emphasizes that reports submitted anonymously will not be followed up.
The Office of the Auditor General was established by Francis towards the beginning of his pontificate with the purpose of fighting corruption and keeping tabs on finances. But it has not been free from turmoil itself.
The former head of the Auditor General office was fired in 2017 for allegedy overstepping his role. Now he is actively suing the Vatican for nearly 10 million dollars, claiming unfair dismissal from his job.
