The representatives of the office of the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection gave a short overview of the 2012 Report. This was the Commissioner’s eighth Regular Annual Report. The Commissioner’s activities in 2012 were much more ample than in 2011 due to the number of complaints filed both for violations of the right to access information of public importance and personal data protection. More than 7500 cases were opened in 2012, about 5000 of which were completed, 3500 of them related to exercising the right to access information of public importance. Most complaints were filed by citizens, union organisations, associations, the media, as well as political parties, lawyers and others. In 2012 the Commissioner insisted on a more pro-active publication of information on the authorities’ websites, which he will continue to pursue. It would also be good to amend and modify the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance so as to enable not only access to information but to be able to supervise how the right to access information was exercised. In the upcoming period, it would also be very useful to pass the law on the protection of whistle-blowers, which the Working Group set up by the Commissioner had drafted and forwarded to the Ministry of Justice. The legal framework for the protection of personal data also needs to be improved, especially in the case of sensitive data. In 2012 the Commissioner performed 365 oversights related personal data protection and acted on 154 complaints.
In a short debate, the Committee members expressed concern that the Commissioner’s office continued to suffer from the same problems such as inadequate office space and not enough staff. They endorsed the Commissioner’s initiative to amend the existing and pass a new legislative framework.
Following the debate, the Committee members adopted, by a majority of votes, and forwarded to the National Assembly for adoption by urgent procedure, the Conclusion Proposal proposing the adoption of the Report on the implementation of the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection Law in 2012.

The sitting was chaired by Marija Obradovic, Committee Deputy Chairperson.