Whistleblowing (whistleblower protection)
Because of the direct applicability of Directive (EU) 2019/1937 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2019 on the protection of persons who report infringements of Union law and the subsequent adoption of Act No. 171/2023 Coll, on the protection of whistleblowers, it becomes an obliged entity to set up a so-called internal whistleblowing system enabling, in particular, to receive from a specified range of natural persons notifications of acts against EU law, to handle them, to protect the identity of whistleblowers and other persons, to protect the information contained in the notification and to communicate with whistleblowers.
The main objective of whistleblower protection in this area is to enable the detection of unlawful conduct occurring in the workplace or in the course of or in connection with the performance of work (or other similar) activities, which employees and other individuals in a similar position would not normally report to their employer or to the relevant public authorities, in particular for fear of losing their jobs or being otherwise penalised.
As provided for in the Whistleblower Protection Act, the notification shall include information about a possible violation that has occurred or is about to occur with respect to a person for whom the whistleblower (even indirectly) has performed or is performing work (or other similar activity), or with respect to a person with whom the whistleblower has been or is in contact in connection with the performance of work (or other similar activity), and which
a) has the characteristics of a criminal offence,
b) has the characteristics of an offence for which the law provides for a fine of at least CZK 100,000,
c) contravenes the Whistleblower Protection Act, or
d) contravenes any other legislation or regulation of the European Union in the field of
- financial services, statutory audit and other assurance services, financial products and financial markets,
- corporate income tax,
- prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing,
- consumer protection,
- compliance with product requirements, including product safety,
- safety of transport, conveyance and traffic on roads,
- protection of the environment,
- food and feed safety and the protection of animals and their health,
- radiation protection and nuclear safety,
- economic competition, public auctions and public procurement,
- protection of internal order and security, life and health,
- protection of personal data, privacy and security of electronic communications networks and information systems,
- protection of the financial interests of the European Union, or
- the functioning of the internal market, including the protection of competition and State aid under European Union law.
Exceptions for breach of a contractual or legal obligation and information whose notification is not deemed to be notification are set out in the Whistleblower Protection Act in section 3.
The competent person designated to receive, examine and further deal with notifications is JUDr. Petra Krupova, tel: 545 521 393, e-mail: oznameni@brno-airport.cz.
Notification options:
- Through the web form available on the Brno Airport section of the www.brno-airport.cz website,
- In writing via email: oznameni@brno-airport.cz,
- In writing by post to the following address: LETIŠTĚ BRNO a.s., Brno Airport - Tuřany 904/1, 627 00 Brno in an envelope marked: "DO NOT OPEN - DESIGNATED FOR THE APPROPRIATE PERSON",
- In person or by telephone by prior agreement made via tel. no.: 545 521 393, or e-mail oznameni@brno-airport.cz, taking into account the current working hours of the Competent Person.
The whistleblower should have specific reasons to believe that the offence they are reporting fall within the protection of the Whistleblower Protection Act. Supplementing the notification with credible or verifiable information or documents about the reported violation can facilitate the process of assessing the notification.
A whistleblower should have reasonable grounds to believe that the facts reported or disclosed by him/her are true, given the circumstances and information available to him/her at the time of the notification. Therefore, facts knowingly false cannot be reported. Such conduct may be sanctioned.
The methods of reporting to the Ministry of Justice (the so-called external reporting system) are set out at https://oznamovatel.justice.cz/chci-podat-oznameni/.