The Commissioner for Information of Public Interest and Personal Data Protection evaluates that just in the last couple of days a significant number of citizens, journalists, NGOs etc. have turned to him regarding different issues pertaining to the Project "Belgrade on Water", which points out to the need for much greater transparency in acting of the authorities in charge in relation to the quoted project.
The Commissioner warns all the interested parties that, according to the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance, information should be as first asked from the authorities in charge, in this specific case primarily from the city ones, and just then, if those authorities deny the information, one acquires the right to complain to the Commissioner. The authorities in question of course, should, and have the obligation to undertake all that they can to prevent turning to the Commissioner, and unnecessary problems.
In evaluating that the problems have obviously already appeared, the Commissioner Rodoljub Šabić also stated:
"We have an ongoing oversight procedure regarding implementation of the Personal Data Protection Act in the Belgrade Land Development Directorate, based on announcement and an attempt to implement "list of tenants" and "surveying of apartments" which I have initiated based on the complaint by the Tenants' Assembly of the building in Karadjordjeva no. 36.
Reminding the Directorate that for such a privacy intrusion, i.e. personal data processing, one needs a valid legal ground and clearly determined purpose, I have requested their immediate statement on that, after which I shall undertake other adequate steps.
But the tenants of the building in Karadjordjeva 36, have not remained alone. The tenants of the other buildings and users of business facilities also, especially in the "narrow" Savamala zone, expressed their worry due to the lack of relevant information. They righteously experience the "explanations" like "determining the factual and actual state" or "in order to implement the Project" as abstract and insufficient, and feel anxious in exercising their rights determined by the Constitution and the laws, property laws and the others. The longer this lack of complete and clear information shall last, especially if accompanied with possible disinformation, the upsetting of the citizens shall escalate.
Therefore it is quite important that the authorities shall eliminate all dilemmas and doubts, in the only possible way - by rendering clear, precise, concrete and complete information."
