Press Releases - Archive

Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection estimates that recently published texts of legal acts by the European Commission, which texts announce the establishment of a new privacy protection system at the level of the European Union - the United States, although not of formal importance are yet seriously and essentially important for Serbia, its citizens and businesses.

A few days ago, the European Commission presented its draft "Adequacy Decision" and the text of the "Privacy Shield" Agreement. These documents assert the privacy principles to be observed not only by all companies involved in the transfer of personal data but the US authorities as well, which obligation has been undertaken in writing, and safeguards and restrictions on access to data by the law enforcement.

On occasion of increased public interest in the distribution by the Republic Health Insurance Fund (RHIF) of envelopes with health insurance cards and envelopes with codes on which the Unique Citizen ID Number was printed, the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection reports that persons authorized by the Commissioner conducted the surveillance procedure in this regard in the RHIF Directorate on 30 December 2015.

It was found that this procedure is conditioned by the form of the health card and that, in these specific circumstances, it is the only possible way of verifying the identity of the insured. It was also found that the process of distribution of envelopes is such that the personal data of the insured are not available to unauthorized persons (the envelopes are never sent by mail but rather delivered directly), but only to persons authorized by the RHIF and employers - payers of contributions, which otherwise already process the data under the law. In these particular circumstances, there is no room for taking further measures within the jurisdiction of the Commissioner.

The citizens who have petitioned the Commissioner have been provided detailed information in writing about all relevant facts established in the course of supervision.

The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, with support from the USAID Judicial Reform and Government Accountability programme (JRGA) and the Education Centre association, decided today to "open" publicly available data held by this institution where this is technically feasible.

The concept "open data" includes publicly available data which can be freely used without restrictions by the author, which are machine readable, timely, available and, where possible, free of charge. The term "open data" has been used since 2008 and it has been gaining popularity after opening of data at websites such as Data.gov (USA) or Data.gov.uk (UK).

The Education Centre, in cooperation with the Commissioner, has made visual representations of certain databases so that citizens, as well as any other potential users, could better understand information held by the Commissioner. The promotion of the Commissioner's open data is also organized with the aim of promoting the concept of "open data" in Serbia by this example and encouraging other authorities to open their data.

With regard to the yesterday's announcement of the "Standing Commission of Oppositional Political Parties for Provision of Conditions for Fair Elections" (Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), Party of Democratic Action of Sandzak (SDA of Sandzak), Democratic Party (DS), Together for Serbia, New Party, Turnaround Movement, Dveri Movement, "Enough!" and New Serbian Political Thought (NSPM)), particularly the following its part: "We will request from the Commissioner to respond to any future violation of civil freedoms and data privacy grossly abused by representatives of the government through their door-to-door campaign, particularly abuse of the electoral rolls", the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection does not find this practice to be constructive at all. This was an act which effectively, regardless of its motive, tried to politicize an independent institution and which mispresented its work, competences and powers to the public.

In that regard, Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic said the following: