Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection has prepared a Model of the new Personal Data Protection Act and invited all interested parties to public debate about it.

The publicdebate shall last until June 30, 2014. Afterthat, the Commissioner shall analyze the received proposals and comments, try to improve the text based on them and shall deliver it to the Government of Serbia, through the line ministry.

Remindingthat there are plenty of reasons for passing the new Personal Data Protection Act, both from the standpoint of domestic legal order, as well as from the standpoint of international law and international relations, the Commissioner, Rodoljub Sabic also stated the following:

"The praxis showed that the existing legal framework for personal data protection cannot secure unhindered exercising of right to personal data protection in all fields of life. Simultaneously, from the standpoint of international law and international relations, harmonizing our national legislation with EU law represents an international legal obligation of the Republic of Serbia, determined in the Stabilization and Association Agreement and underlined by the EU membership candidate status.

For several years already I pointed out to the need for amendments, i.e. passing of the new Personal Data Protection Act. I have several times publicly pointed out to that, initiated resolving of the problem, and also delivered to the Government normatively articulated solutions for certain fields, but adequate reaction of the competent authorities was missing every time.

Even the last time, although within the National Program for Adopting Aquis Communitaire, the adoption of a new Personal Data Protection Actwas treated as a priority, with the deadline the latest until August 2013, it was omitted.

Having in mind all quoted, my collaborators and me have compiled this text, and posted it for public debate, inviting all interested parties to participate in it, and to give proposals and comments, adding to its quality. Afterthatwe shall make the Model available to the Government of Serbia, wishing that we shall thus contribute to the efforts of the Government and of the Parliament, directed towards enhancing our comprehensive legal order."