The Blue Light Association have issued a statement highlighting "the striking irony" in Transparency International’s recent comments on Gibraltar.

 

A statement from the Blue Light Association follows below:

On 16th June 2025, Transparency International published an article entitled “World Whistleblower Day: The Cost of Exposing Facts in the Age of Misinformation”, proclaiming:

“Whistleblowers play a critical role in uncovering corruption, abuse, and disinformation… Protecting truth-tellers safeguards democratic health.”

They warned that whistleblowers often face “smear campaigns, legal intimidation, and physical danger” and insisted that they “must be protected, not punished.”

Yet, barely weeks later, in their intervention on Gibraltar’s Principal Auditor’s report, Transparency International UK launched a public attack that undermines those very principles, casting doubt, questioning integrity, and framing the Auditor’s actions in political terms.

Their press release, “Silencing the Auditor: How Gibraltar’s Government Blocked Scrutiny of its Public Finances”, adopted an accusatory tone without acknowledging the Gibraltar Government’s explanations, or the complex context behind matters such as ex-gratia payments to police officers.

This selective approach sends a troubling message. Whistleblowers and independent watchdogs deserve support but apparently not if they are in Gibraltar.

The Blue Light Association calls on Transparency International to:
  1.    Apply its whistleblower protection standards consistently, including in Gibraltar.
  2.    Acknowledge the harm caused when public statements discredit or diminish the credibility of those tasked with independent oversight.
  3.    Engage directly with all stakeholders before making accusations that risk eroding trust in local accountability systems.

Our community values the principle that truth-tellers ,whether in global tech companies, hostile regimes, or small democratic territories must be defended from undue attack. Anything less than consistent application of this standard undermines the credibility of Transparency International’s global mission.