"If I were to point to two striking examples of abuse of citizens' personal data, I would like to single out the inspection my inspectors performed in blood transfusion institutes in Serbia. The inspection identified serious omissions in the protection of medical data classified as "particularly sensitive" under the law. Effects of warnings sent in that regard were good and safeguards and treatment of such data are now significantly improved. The other example was the inspection action at a mobile telecommunications services provider. It confirmed there was a serious, dramatic gap between the practice and constitutional arrangements in access to data on citizens' electronic communication. On that occasion, the Ombudsman and I sent 14 recommendations to the competent authorities, the implementation of which should bring the situation in that field in compliance with the constitutional arrangement. Unfortunately, and hopefully for the time being, almost none of the desired results have been achieved", said Rodoljub Sabic, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.

Interception of communications is the reality in the 21st century, but there are limits that must be observed, says Rodoljub Sabic and explains how it is possible to establish a system with no unauthorised interception.
The phone hacking affair, namely taking listing of highest state officials, have actualized two important issues – control of the secret services and the police, on the one hand, and protection of communications and personal data, on the other hand.

 So far, the relations between the new Government and the institution of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection are entirely correct. However, there are new pressures in the form of campaigns of entities outside the Government - says, among other things, Rodoljub Sabic, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection in an interview with Danas.

On the occasion of one of the first concrete steps, initiated by Sabic's report on controlling access to the so-called retained communications of citizens, which has resulted in the introduction of a double key in BIA (at least two people involved in the access), Sabic says that this is a "worthy of attention, good move, but only the first step on a long road."

Is data on citizens of Serbia really safe?

No, security is not on a satisfactory level, i continuously warn on that. Serbia is seriously delayed in all three, in this connection - relevant plans. We need good laws and relevant regulations based on standards of democratic world, we are slowly improving the resources of institutions that would implement those standards and who should ensure that in practice, and finally, not nearly enough is sone on education on this topic.

According to our sources, Mr Rodoljub Sabic, The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, and Mr. Sasa Jankovic, the Ombudsman, will meet this week with Mr. Nebojsa Rodic, new Director of the Security Information Agency.

Marketing agencies use all means to attract as many clients as possible

Belgrade – With the aim to promote their products and services, many marketing agencies use all means to attract as many clients as possible and they often even abuse citizens' personal data. Namely, the editorial board of our magazine was contacted by citizens who claim that they sent SMS to an organizer of a prize competition according to the rules of that competition, but certain marketing agencies called them the next day to participate in a market survey. When citizens asked them who gave them their phone numbers, they replied that they had received phone numbers from the organizer of the prize competition.