The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection will be the host of an international regional gathering on personal data protection on 19th May 2009 in Belgrade. Participants of the gathering ''Personal Data Protection'' will be Commissioners or directors of the media for personal data protection from the majority of ex Yugoslav Republics, a great number of representatives of authorities and legal entities dealing with personal data protection, civil sector representatives, independent experts and many others.
In that context Commissioner Rodoljub Sabic has stated the following:
„The basic reason for this conference is presentation of the Guide to the Law on Personal Data Protection. It is a simple and practical text which is to make a very abstract mater of the Law clearer and more familiar to authorities and others dealing with personal data processing as well as to citizens wishing to protect their rights guaranteed under this Law.
In view of the fact that some provisions of the Law on Personal Data Protection are highly abstract, preparation and publishing of such a Guide is one of the primary objectives in implementation of this Law. Being Commissioner, I am very satisfied to have succeeded in my efforts to publish the Guide, although I practically do not have any resources required to work in the field of personal data protection
The Guide is the work of an unquestionable authority in this field - my colleague, the Commissioner for Information and Personal Data Protection of the Republic of Slovenia, Natasa Pirc - Musar and her associates. Of course, PLAC Project supported by EU, Belgrade Office UNDP and Commercial Chamber of the Republic of Serbia have greatly contributed to compiling and publication of the Guide and organization of the conference as well.
Experiences in implementation of EU standards in this field in ex Yugoslav republics will be presented at the conference. First Draft Strategy for implementation of European standards on personal data protection in our country which is a result of collaboration of my associates with PLAC Project experts and Slovenian colleagues supported by EU.
Organization of this conference is motivated by the idea to demonstrate that, as a country, we are taking certain measures aimed at improving the situation in this field which is neglected in our country, and also to draw the Government and other authorities' attention to obligations thereby taken on, yet unfulfilled.
Even though we have undertaken to harmonize legislation in this field with EU standards, and establish an independent supervising body with all resources necessary to ensure implementation of these standards by signing the Treaty on Stabilization and Association to the EU, we are far from the previous and the latter, and little has been done to change this situation. I would like to warn the public once again that achieving international priorities such as ‘'white Schengen'' and approximation to EU can be compromised by such an attitude.''
