On the occasion of European Data Protection Day, 28th of January, the Academy of Judges and Public Prosecutors, in cooperation with the Center for Legal Research and Analysis and the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, conducted a two-day TAIEX Workshop on protection of personal data and privacy for the judiciary and public prosecution in North Macedonia. The workshop was intended for judges, public prosecutors, trainees of the Academy of Judges and Public Prosecutors, as well as representatives of the Agency for Personal Data Protection, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.
The objective of the Training was to improve the knowledge of judges and public prosecutors in the field of personal data protection and privacy in the digital space, through the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). A specific value of this training was the participation of European experts, who shared their experiences and guidelines for the application of the European legal framework for the protection of the right to privacy and personal data in the digital space. This provided a direct insight into the best practices of the EU Member States.
The training covered topics related to the legal framework of the EU and the Council of Europe for the protection of the right to privacy, the EU legal framework for artificial intelligence, as well as the judicial and public prosecutorial practice in North Macedonia in the protection of the right to privacy. The lecturers of the training were Mr. Luigi Montuori from the Italian Data Protection Agency, Mr. Gernot Posch, a judge from the Administrative Court in Vienna, Ms. Teresa Martinez Sanchez from the Spanish Data Protection Agency, Ms. Edita Naskovska, a judge at the Administrative Court, and Mr. Vladimir Miloseski, public prosecutor at the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office – Skopje.
Opening remarks at the workshop were given by the Minister of Justice Mr. Igor Filkov, Ms. Maria Kanellopoulou, First Counsellor at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Macedonia, Ms. Irina Trajkoska Strezoski, Director of the Academy of Judges and Public Prosecutors, Mr. Ilir Iseni, Deputy Director of the Academy of Judges and Public Prosecutors, Mr. Valentin Vetadzhokoski, State Counsellor at the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Ms. Bojana Bozinovska-Siljanovska, President of the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association.
The Deputy Director of the Academy, Mr. Ilir Iseni, highlighted that the protection of personal data must be firmly established in the legal system and that this requires joint efforts, continuous learning and application of the best European experiences.
Ms. Maria Kanellopoulou pointed out the importance of harmonization with European standards in the protection of personal data and privacy, as part of the EU accession process. She highlighted that the European Union has established a solid legal framework for the protection of personal data through the GDPR, which sets out mechanisms for protecting citizens’ privacy. She added that North Macedonia’s compliance with this regulation is essential for advancing the rule of law and strengthening institutions, and that judicial institutions have a key role in protecting these rights.
The Minister of Justice, Mr. Igor Filkov, expressed that personal data is a fundamental part of the right to privacy, which is guaranteed by the Constitution and international documents, adding that this right must not be merely declarative, but must be protected through effective mechanisms and sanctions for its violation.
The Director of the Academy, Ms. Irina Trajkoska Strezoski, pointed out that technology is advancing at an incredible speed, bringing opportunities, but also significant risks of abuse. She emphasized that the judicial system must find a balance between exploiting technological advantages and protecting the fundamental rights of citizens. Speaking about compliance with European standards, she mentioned the case of D.H. v. NMK, where the European Court of Human Rights found misuse of personal data, and the judgment is a reminder of the obligations of the member states of the Council of Europe to harmonize their laws with European jurisprudence.
Mr.Valentin Vetadzhokoski referred to the role of the Agency for Personal Data Protection in the implementation and supervision of the legislation on the protection of personal data. He emphasized that the agency has a key task to ensure compliance with European standards, but also to raise awareness among institutions, the business sector and citizens about the importance of personal data protection. In addition, he pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen the resources and capacities of the agency, in order to be able to effectively respond to the new challenges brought by the digital transformation.
The President of the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, Ms. Bojana Bozinovska-Siljanovska, emphasized the importance of cooperation with the Center for Legal Research and Analysis in the preparation of four public policy documents containing key findings, insights and recommendations. She highlighted that as part of the EU project „Effective Justice to Protect the Fundamental Freedoms and Privacy of People in the On-line Space”, a Guide to the Protection of the Right to Privacy for legal professionals was prepared, and in cooperation with the Academy, a curriculum was prepared and trainings were conducted for judges and public prosecutors.
This training represents a significant step towards improving knowledge and strengthening the capacities of the judicial sector in the area of personal data protection, in order to strengthen the application of European standards and ensure legal certainty for citizens in the digital age.
