On the occasion of January 28 – the European Day of Personal Data Protection, an event was held on the topic “Together for Personal Data Protection” at Europe House in Skopje. The event was organized by the Delegation of the European Union together with the Metamorphosis Foundation, the Agency for the Protection of Personal Data and the Center for Legal Research and Analysis.
The event was opened by Imer Aliu, director of the Personal Data Protection Agency, in his presentation he emphasized the importance of personal data protection and privacy and mentioned that they are one of the basic human rights whose protection must be worked on. Director Aliu also shared the problems they face in harmonizing the sectoral legislation with the Personal Data Protection Law as a consequence of the non-application of the provisions of the RNM’s Business for Government Work. He emphasized that the Agency will try to strengthen its independent and independent status, especially in the area of human resources management and in providing independent budget funds, because all this is necessary to be able to implement the legal regulation for the protection of personal data. At the very end of the presentation, Aliu announced the new ten-year strategy for the protection of personal data, in the preparation of which the EU will participate.
Stefen Hudolin, head of the cooperation department at the Delegation of the European Union in North Macedonia, also had his presentation. He pointed to the importance of the Personal Data Protection Agency and that it is the factor that can contribute to the full and correct implementation of the Personal Data Protection Law. According to him, the agency must get the necessary resources for work and also, it must not be involved in consultations and negotiations regarding the protection of personal data.
In her address, the program director of the Metamorphosis Foundation, Danche Danilovska Baidevska, emphasized the importance of the appropriate application of laws, including the Law on Personal Data Protection and the benefits that would result. She emphasizes that we should not be afraid of digital technologies, and we should not create resistance to digitalization, on the contrary we should use them, but at the same time be engaged, and learn from each other how to safely use them to our advantage.
Representatives from the Center for Legal Research and Analysis presented the new project “Effective justice for the protection of basic freedoms and the right to privacy in the online space”, which they will implement in cooperation with the Macedonian Association of Young Lawyers. The project is financially supported by the EU and will begin implementation in February 2023. According to the statement of Lidija Stojkova – Zafirovska, “Judicial protection of the right to protection of personal data and privacy is of essential importance for the full realization of this right, in accordance with international and European rules and standards. The Center for Legal Research and Analysis and the Macedonian Association of Young Lawyers will work with the judiciary, providing expertise and approximation of ECtHR practice in the area of personal data protection in the digital space. This is a new and dynamic area and citizens should be sure that the institutions will responsibly protect their rights, which will inevitably result in increased trust in the system.” Within the framework of the project, trainings on the protection of personal data and the protection of fundamental rights in the digital world will be delivered for judges and public prosecutors, the gaps in the legal framework will be determined with a focus on the judiciary and its capacities to enable effective justice for the protection of these rights. , the dialogue between key institutions will be strengthened and citizens will be educated through a campaign about the legal instruments available to them to protect the right to privacy in the online space.
Emes Savoia – Keleti, a data protection officer at the European External Action Service, also had her presentation, who presented and explained the EU Personal Data Protection Law and emphasized that North Macedonia was one of the first to sign and ratify the Council Convention. of Europe concerning the protection of personal data. She emphasized that there are still challenges because individuals want to have protected data and privacy, and businesses, on the other hand, recognize that the protection of personal data gives them a competitive value.
Slobodanka Slavkovska from the Personal Data Protection Agency presented the new website developed with the support of the European Union, presenting the possibilities and functions that will be available on the site.
Vesna Radinovska from the Metamorphosis Foundation presented the project “Technical and integrated protection of personal data – building an inclusive digital ecosystem”. She added that the organization is in daily contact with the controllers, who inform about how difficult it is to implement the law, mostly due to the lack of resources, but also inflation, the energy crisis and the covid pandemic.
