Public Trust and Accountability Act

Section 1. Public Trust. All public office is a public trust. Officials and employees of the Government of Rheinland shall serve with integrity, accountability, transparency, and fidelity to the Constitution and laws. Section 2. Financial Disclosure. All elected officials, ministers, senior civil servants, and other officers as prescribed by law shall submit annual public declarations of assets, liabilities, sources of income, and financial interests. Such declarations shall be made available to the public in a manner prescribed by law. Section 3. Prohibition on Personal Enrichment. No public official shall use their office, authority, public funds, confidential information, or government resources for personal gain or for the unjust enrichment of any individual, organization, or entity. Section 4. Transparency in Government Contracts. Government contracts, procurement processes, grants, and expenditures shall be conducted openly and competitively, except where confidentiality is strictly necessary for national security or other reasons established by law. Section 5. Independent Oversight. An independent Anti-Corruption Commission shall be established by law and shall possess the authority to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of office, bribery, fraud, and related offenses committed by public officials. Section 6. Accountability. Any public official found guilty of corruption, bribery, embezzlement, abuse of office, or other serious breaches of public trust shall be subject to removal from office, disqualification from future public office, restitution of unlawfully obtained assets, and such additional penalties as may be prescribed by law. Section 7. Protection of Whistleblowers. Individuals who report corruption or misconduct in good faith shall be protected from retaliation, discrimination, or adverse action, as provided by law. Section 8. Enforcement. The Legislature shall enact such laws as are necessary and proper to implement and enforce the provisions of this Article.