The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, on the occasion of a large number of journalists addressing him, reminds that the authorities are obliged to observe the fundamental principles of the Law on Personal Data Protection – appropriateness and proportionality, with regard to the accreditation of journalists for attending particular events or press conferences.

Also, in cases when and if, for any safety or other issue, the journalist ID issued by the association of journalists is not sufficient, the requirements for personal data or documents disclosure must adhere to the appropriateness and proportionality of personal data processing.

Processing more data than required and appropriate constitutes the violation of Article 8 under the Law on Personal Data Protection. In addition, collecting unnecessary amount of personal data (inter alia, personal identification number and ID number) implies the problems related to its subsequent storage, protection and possible abuses.

As in any other case, in the procedure of journalists' accreditation, personal data processing must be justified by its purpose, i.e. it must be appropriate. Triggering associations of possible harassment, discrimination or restricting the freedom of the media is never good, and particularly in the case of journalists, it is bad and absolutely undesirable, considering their role in the democratic society.