Parliament re-elects Personal Data Protection Inspector

Parliament of Georgia has re-elected Tamar Kaldani as the Personal Data Protection Inspector for a second term.

Kaldani will begin her reappointment from July 2 and continue controlling the implementation of personal data protection legislation and lawfulness of data processing in the country.

Kaldani was re-elected for a second term after gaining 85 votes in favour and none against. The vote took place in Parliament on June 23, 2016. The other candidate, Nikoloz Legashvili, received 44 votes by Parliamentarians.

During the next three years Kaldani will be responsible for investigating the legitimacy of data processing in different sectors and raise public awareness of the Data Inspectors activities and importance of data protection.

She believed her nomination for a second time allowed her to continue the recently implemented reforms.

It is important to continue work in several directions including increasing the scale of the Inspector’s activities, investigating legitimacy of data processing in different sectors, as well as raising public awareness through increased communication,” she said.

Kaldani has served as the first Personal Data Protection Inspector since 2013. The Office of Personal Data Protection Inspector was established under her leadership.

The process to elect a Personal Data Protection Inspector started in May 2016.

At the first stage Georgia's Prime Minister formed a Selection Commission who chose two candidates - Tamar Kaldani and Nikoloz Legashvili - for the Inspector’s post and presented them to the Prime Minister.

Afterwards, the Prime Minister presented these two candidates to Parliament of Georgia, which was tasked to elect the Inspector. Lawmakers voted to reelect Kaldani for a three year term.

Georgian legislation said the same person may be elected as the Personal Data Protection Inspector for two consecutive terms.

The Office of the Personal Data Protection Inspector of Georgia consults citizens, as well as the private and public organisations on the issues related to the lawfulness of the data processing and protection of personal data.