Press Releases - Archive

In his letter sent to the Minister of Finance, the Commissioner for Information of Public Information and Personal Data Protection reminded that he carried out an inspection of compliance with the law in all commercial banks in the Republic of Serbia (29) because of collecting of clients' data for the purpose of cooperation with the USA tax authorities in implementation of their FATCA and because of possible transborder transfer of data out of the Republic of Serbia. After the inspection of compliance with the Law, the Commissioner sent a warning that in the absence of a signed and ratified FACTA agreement, there is no valid legal basis or purpose for such data processing and particularly that transborder transfer of personal data would constitute a serious, punishable offence under Article 57 of the Law on Personal Data Protection.

The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection warned once again that the quantity of personal data of crime suspects, and even more of the victims of criminal offences, published in the media was alarming, highlighting as a particular problem the publication of data from which underage victims can be identified.

Emphasizing that special attention should be paid to the facts which show that in many cases the sources of such information were employees in public authorities, Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic also said:

The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection had talks today with representatives of the Belgrade Pride 2014 Organisation Committee.

Representatives of the Organisation Committee Mr. Marko Ilic and Mr. Slobodan Stojanovic informed the Commissioner about the progress of preparatory activities, noting that the organisers hoped the event would be allowed to go ahead peacefully and calling on public authorities to make every effort to ensure their citizens can enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of assembly.

The Commissioner assured the representatives of the Organisation Committee that the rights provided for by the law which he enforces, both as regards the organisation of the event and as regards the LGBT population in general, will be enjoyed on an equal footing with the rights of all other citizens, without any discrimination. He went on to express his expectation that other public authorities would follow suit within their respective spheres of competence.

The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection ordered the Ministry of Finance to provide "Danas" daily newspaper with information on the number of persons employed in the public sector since the Law amending the Law on the Budget System entered into force (7 December 2013), as well as information on the number of persons employed in the same period and institutions where they have been employed.

Noting that public support and scrutiny is one of the key assumptions for the success of measures taken with the aim to rationalise the public sector, Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic said: