KNAB project “Support for the establishment of a whistle-blowing system in Latvia” co-financed by EEA grants successfully completed

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has concluded the more than three-year-long project “Support for the establishment of a whistle-blowing system in Latvia” that was co-financed by the European Economic Area (EEA) grant programme. The goal of the project was to promote public involvement in reporting corruption and other latent criminal activity by providing a safe and convenient reporting channel and also to improve the competence of KNAB in detecting and investigating corruption-related crimes.

KNAB has successfully implemented three main project activities: introduction of a new reporting platform, implementation of two public awareness campaigns, and also taking of a variety of measures to strengthen the investigative and analytical capacities of KNAB.

KNAB Director Jēkabs Straume: “Law enforcement authorities working with whistle-blowers need to offer diverse channels to inform about possible unlawful acts. As a result of the implementation of the EEA grant project, the Latvian population can report possible corruption to KNAB by using a convenient, modern, and innovative platform. The project has also strengthened the capacities and skills of KNAB both in dealing with whistle-blowers and also in investigating corruption offences. We are working together for a secure and competitive Europe!”

The main project activity was completed last September when the platform “Report to KNAB!” (in Latvian – “Ziņo KNAB!”) was developed. Compared to other channels for reporting offences, any person who has submitted information on possible unlawful acts can, up to a certain point, follow the progress of the report at KNAB. It not only provides the possibility to receive feedback on possible instances of illegality, but also to submit additional information and to contact the responsible KNAB official in an encrypted form.

Information on possible illegalities can be submitted by natural and legal persons, and also anonymously. The platform also allows to submit a whistle-blower’s report that meets the requirements of the Whistleblowing Law. People can submit information on the platform in the most convenient way for them, both online at zino.knab.gov.lv and also via the mobile app “Ziņo KNAB!”.

In September 2023, KNAB launched the public awareness campaign “CORRUPTION SUFFOCATES! Report by using the KNAB app” to introduce the whistle-blowing platform and encourage people not to be silent about possible corruption. In 2021, KNAB implemented an information campaign aimed at raising public awareness of the negative consequences of corruption and reducing the tolerance of the population towards corruption.

The project strengthened the competences of more than 850 individuals in the fields of financial investigation and analysis, detection and investigation of cross-border corruption crimes, dealing with whistle-blowers, and other topics through 13 major training sessions. The trained persons are not only employees of KNAB, but also the State Revenue Service, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia, the State Police, the Internal Security Bureau, and the Prosecution Office of the Republic of Latvia.

In addition, the expertise of KNAB employees was strengthened during 11 foreign exchange visits to Liechtenstein, Iceland, Austria, Italy, Slovakia, and other countries. The most frequent foreign visits were related to learning from the analytical experience of partner countries, not only to strengthen the existing cooperation, but also to establish new contacts for effective cooperation and exchange of experience in the future.

In addition, three opinion polls were carried out as part of the project to ascertain the attitudes of the Latvian population and businesses towards corruption. Over the three-year period, there has been minimal change in the attitudes of both people and businesses towards bribery, with an average of four out of five individuals and businesses not accepting bribery. This indicates a persistent and generally negative attitude towards bribery.

KNAB implemented the EEA grant co-financed project “Support for the establishment of a whistle-blowing system in Latvia” from 6 October 2020 to 30 April 2024. The project is supported by the EEA Grants 2014–2021 programme “International Police Cooperation and Combating Crime”.