New integrity counselor to advise public servants
A so-called integrity counselor for civil servants to turn to in the event of incidents such as abuse of power, violation of the law, antisocial behavior and sexual harassment is included in a new Interior Ministry bill submitted to Parliament on Monday that introduces changes to the internal control system of the public sector and local authorities.
The bill stipulates that each ministry (excluding Foreign Affairs, Civil Protection, National Defense and Shipping) establish an Independent Office of Integrity Counselor that will report as an organizational unit to the respective ministers.
The office will have a supportive role in advising employees on ethics and integrity issues that they may face at work, including issues such as sexual harassment, abuse, discrimination and intimidation, and look out for conflicts of interest.
It will also monitor the progress of petitions and formulate proposals to optimize anti-corruption mechanisms in the public sector.
