New rules for personal data protection to change slightly

PARLIAMENT overrode the veto of President Ivan Gašparovič who refused to sign the amendment to the law on personal data protection, but in the end have accepted some of his suggested changes, the SITA newswire reported on April 3. The changes were cleared by the MPs last week in a fast-track proceeding, as employers’ associations heavily criticised the law, calling it nonsensical.

PARLIAMENT overrode the veto of President Ivan Gašparovič who refused to sign the amendment to the law on personal data protection, but in the end have accepted some of his suggested changes, the SITA newswire reported on April 3. The changes were cleared by the MPs last week in a fast-track proceeding, as employers’ associations heavily criticised the law, calling it nonsensical.

The MPs accepted the comments of the president, who pointed to the possible conflict with the constitution, as the changes allowed processing the personal data without the consent of the respective person even in cases this procession is necessary to protect the law and the interest of provider or the third party, and especially the personal data necessary for monitoring the respective persons, reporting the murky practices at the workplace or effectiveness of respective people. Gašparovič said that based on the constitution everybody has a right to be protected from unauthorised interferences into his or her personal and family life, as reported by SITA.

MP Jozef Mihál of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) told the deputies of the ruling party to be careful in discussions and voting. He said he pointed to the disputed text when the amendment was discussed for the first time. The Smer MPs, however, ignored him, he added.

The amendment, for example, stipulates that the fines will not be obligatory. The Office for Personal Data Protection will decide whether it will fine the subject or not. Its decision will depend on the specific types of duties employers will have and the seriousness of their violation.

The law that became effective last year has been criticised by employers associated in the National Union of Employers (RÚZ) and the Federation of Employers’ Associations (AZZZ), who called it nonsense of the decade. They said it is very hard to apply it in practice and that it is only a financial burden, SITA wrote.


Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports

The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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