Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection Mr. Rodoljub Sabic talked today with Mr. Branko Ruzic, Minister without portfolio in the Serbian Government in charge of EU integration. The Commissioner and the Minister agreed that respect for the citizens' rights and maximum transparency in the work of public authorities were an essential prerequisite for further democratisation and faster integration with the EU. The parties concurred it was necessary to improve the process of further harmonisation of the Serbian law with relevant EU standards, while at the same time making it more expedient and sound, emphasising that the Government should make better use of the impulses it received from independent oversight bodies in the process.

In this context, Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic said:

"The meeting has been very constructive indeed. I am reassured by Minister Ruzic's announcement that he, as the cabinet member in charge of EU integration, would insist, within the scope of work of the Government and its subordinate bodies, on more expedient and more consistent implementation of European human rights standards in our national law.

It is of utmost importance to make significant improvements in the existing practices. The imminent chapter-by-chapter screening of Serbia's national law by the EU will in some areas, unfortunately, result in heavily negative evaluations, which could have and should have been avoided. This will most certainly be the case – as I have warned time and again – in the field of personal data protection, where, in recent years, failures to adopt strategic documents, laws or secondary legislation have resulted in omissions and delays that are virtually beyond belief.

However, none of those omissions, no matter what their nature, are beyond repair; the harmful effects of those omissions and delays can still be eliminated. But this will not be done by the EU: this is something that can and must be done by competent Serbian authorities. This, however, will require immediate action, without any further delay, as well as more diligent and more responsible work. Only then will we be able to experience benefits in the EU integration process and, more importantly, in the exercise and protection of the constitutional rights of our citizens."