VATICAN CITY, Holy See — The Vatican announced a new system Wednesday for whistleblowers to raise concerns about fraud and corruption, in the latest move by Pope Francis to clean up the Holy See's finances.

A new system for raising the alert will come into force on February 1, making it possible to report irregularities in spending and public procurement, as well as acts of corruption, the Vatican said in a statement.

Officials, consultants and contractors are among those who can communicate their concerns either via a dedicated email or letter to the Auditor General, the head of the Vatican's anti-corruption unit.

Reports cannot be anonymous but the Auditor General's office will guarantee the confidentiality of the content and sender, except in the event of judicial procedure.

Whistleblowing "is one of the most effective instruments to fight corruption", the Vatican noted in the statement.

Since taking office as head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013, Pope Francis has sought to clean up the murky and often disastrous financial affairs of the Holy See.

He created a special secretariat for the economy in 2014, clamped down on corruption and stepped up scrutiny of investments and the Vatican Bank, which led to the closure of 5,000 accounts.

Last month, a Vatican criminal court sentenced a once powerful Italian cardinal, Angelo Becciu, to five and a half years in prison in a groundbreaking trial centered on a loss-making London property deal. He is appealing the verdict.

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© Agence France-Presse