Authority of personal data protection inspector expands
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Georgia’s Parliament has approved a move to expand the power of Georgia’s personal data protection inspector - a Government official tasked with protecting people’s right to privacy.
The approved amendments will also mean citizens will be able to request companies from using their personal data, while video monitoring of Georgian streets and public places will become more restricted.
Parliament today unanimously approved an amendment to the Law on Personal Data Protection and its third hearing with 76 votes.
As a result of the changes, the inspector’s authority will increase. Its mandate will spread into the police sector from September 1 and onto the private sector from November 1 this year.
In order to increase legitimacy of the supervisory authority, the rule of appointing a data privacy inspector would change. The candidate will now be elected by Parliament from candidates presented by Georgia’s Prime Minister, who will be selected by a special commission.
The law aimed to guarantee the inspector’s immunity and authority to access any document or information, including confidential public, commercial and professional documents, if needed.
Changes to the law approved today included increasing the special categories data and guarantees of its security. In addition, the rule of procession genetic data would be limited and restricted and improvements would be made to regulations of video monitoring, biometric data and direct marketing.
From September 1, 2014, citizens will be able to use a simple method to request companies from using their personal information. Also, video monitoring of Georgian streets and public places will become more restricted.
Illegal surveillance became a subject of intense discussion in Georgia following the revelation thousands of secret video recordings were kept by the former government.
Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili believes ensuring high standards of personal data protection is one of the major tasks for his Government.
The Office of the Personal Data Protection Inspector of Georgia adopted a range of recommendations related to how the medical profession processes personal health information.
Parliament of Georgia has re-elected Tamar Kaldani as the Personal Data Protection Inspector for the second term. She will begin her second term from July 2 and continue monitoring the implementation of personal data protection legislation and lawfulness of data processing in the country.
The government of Georgia has allowed for the creation of the State Inspector’s Service that will study alleged offences committed by law enforcers, a decision that has long been requested by the civil sector and the opposition.
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is hosting the 29th edition of the Conference of European Data Protection Authorities, which is the first international forum regarding data protection to be held in Georgia.