The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection emphasized once again that all public utility services at the republic, provincial and local levels must treat citizens' personal data legally and use them only for the purposes set by the law and that they could use citizens' personal data for other purposes exclusively with previously obtained consent from the citizens concerned.

In that regard, Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic also said the following:

“Many citizens are dissatisfied because, in addition for purposes envisaged by the law, their personal data are also processed for other purposes without their consent. And they have every right to be dissatisfied, because use of such data in order to provide services to third parties, deliver various offers, adhesion contracts, advertising and similar materials, particularly possible provision of such data to third parties, is undoubtedly illegal.

In that regard, about twenty days ago I submitted a formal warning to the largest public utility service in Serbia – “Infostan” in Belgrade. “Infostan” informed me yesterday in writing that it will act in accordance with the warning. The General Manager informed me in writing that “Infostan” will stop its previous practice and that in the future it will send advertising and similar materials only to those users who previously gave their consent. A number of citizens in one Belgrade municipality where distribution has started will receive appropriate notification and an apology.

It is commendable that “Infostan” responded in this way to the warning and that the multi annual bad practice will stop. Of course, we just have to make sure that what was said will be done. And if it is not done, we must take measures such as formal ban on data processing and institution of infringement proceedings.

Because of similar petitions filed by citizens, persons authorized by the Commissioner will soon also perform direct supervision of the largest utility service in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, “Informatika” in Novi Sad. Of course, it will probably result in the Commissioner's warning, the same as the one sent to “Infostan”. I expect that “Informatika” will act the same way upon supervision.

However, even if we take aside Commissioner's very modest human resources, it would be completely irrational to enforce the Law on Personal Data Protection by supervision and submission of warnings in each of the numerous utility services. That is why I publicly call them all one more time to strictly respect the Law on Personal Data Protection.”