Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection evaluates that regarding the status of personal data protection, it is illustrative and simultaneously very worrisome data that since 15th May, when the Register of Personal Data Bases has been established, obligation to report personal data basis has been executed by extremely small number of subjects. The Commissioner evaluated that the level of knowledge about the content of personal data protection standards and obligations determined by the Personal Data Protection Act is low, practically on all levels, and is the main problem in the law implementation. The Commissioner, Rodoljub Sabic also stated the following:
„Fact that from more than tens of thousands of subjects obligation to report data bases into the Register has been fulfilled by only some sixty of them, out of which just a few are state authorities, is alarming. By evading execution of the obligation thousands of subjects (companies, institutions, entrepreneurs, authorities) make infringements for which fines up to million dinars have been threatened. The majority of omissions isn’t consequence of intention, but consequence of circumstances - lateness of the Government in passing necessary by-laws, and especially lack of information, lack of knowledge. People should be assisted, and therefore as I have already said earlier, fines are not the first thing one should insist on. Of course, this explanation is not a justification and if this irresponsible relationship continues, infringement procedures should have to be started. For the beginning of course, against those who are obliged to give positive example – against the authorities.
The most important thing is to treat the implementation of European standards in the personal data protection field as a complex, state task the execution of which understands many things in different fields - normative regulation, organization and logistics and primarily, education. That requires responsible and coordinated action of a large number of subjects, which is not possible in the atmosphere of improvisation. For that we need thoughtful, pre-defined strategy understanding clear definition of all causes, carriers, deadlines and means for goals' implementation, and also responsibility for failure in their implementation. I remind you that my collaborators and I have in cooperation with the EU Commission experts already a year ago prepared, and then also delivered to the Government of Serbia text of the Proposal of National Strategy for Personal Data Protection, and I appeal once more to the Government to finally adopt that Strategy.
After adopting the strategy, one would have to, without delay, maximally responsibly and energetically start its implementation. Otherwise, already big gap between the Constitution, Personal Data Protection Act and international standards on one and practice on the other side shall continue to increase. In order to prevent endangering guaranteed human rights in significant scope, that has to change."
