The citizens of Pristina whistled for the end and symbolically saved EUR 870.000 from corruption

When you are well organized, 24 hours is enough time to travel to the other side of the planet, read a book or learn a new skill. However, 24 hours is enough time for the “destruction” of lot of money which Kosovo* loses every day from corruption. Through a 24-hour “Whistle for the End” performance in Pristina on June 16, 2021, the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative (RAI) demonstrated to citizens how they can save money from corruption, by pressing a button, i.e., symbolically blowing the whistle. 

Whistle for the end! is part of the educational and information campaign that the RAI is implementing with the financial support of the European Union, within the project “Breaking the Silence: Enhancing the Whistleblowing Policies and Culture in the Western Balkans and Moldova”.

Mr. Shaip Havolli, Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency (AKK), who participated in the event spoke about the cooperation with RAI in fighting the phenomenon of corruption. On this occasion Director Havolli noted the progress made in implementing the Law on Protection of Whistleblowers, while stating ‘I invite all officials who consider that they have noticed violations in their organization to report such violations in cooperation with responsible officials and thus increase transparency and institutional and individual accountability.  

On behalf of the RAI, the media was addressed by Mrs. Elmerina Ahmetaj Hrelja, Project Manager, who noted: “We invite citizens to ‘Whistle for the End!’ by pressing the button and thus symbolically stop corruption and further destruction of their money. This gesture will show us how much money together we can save from destruction, when we do not accept to participate in corruption.’

This regional project, which is supported by the EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), aims to help partners in the government and non-governmental sector of beneficiary jurisdictions to improve the disclosure channels and protection mechanisms for whistleblowers; strengthen the capacity of civil society to support whistleblowing; and enhance the public awareness about the importance of whistleblowing in the fight against corruption, by enhancing the legislative and institutional framework for the protection of whistleblowers, in line with the new EU Directive on whistleblower protection. 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.