The Information and Data Protection Commissioner’s Office conducted an activity in the city of Gjirokastër with three components: raising awareness among citizens, meeting with representatives of institutions operating in this region, and exchanging best practices in transparency with the public.
During the first day, with a focus on citizen awareness, the staff of the Commissioner’s Office engaged in discussions to explain the exercise of their rights in the areas of access to public information/documentation, protection of personal data, and distributed various publications.
On the second day, in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Presence in Albania, an informative meeting was held to raise awareness about the implementation of the legal obligations regarding the right to information and the protection of personal data. This activity was attended by the Commissioner, Mr. Besnik Dervishi, the Senior Legal Officer of OSCE, Mr. Mauro Puzzo, the Mayor of Gjirokastër, Mr. Flamur Golemi, and representatives of various public authorities in this region.
The purpose of this regional meeting was to present the regulatory framework for both areas of responsibility of the Commissioner’s Office, as well as the monitoring and supervisory activities for their implementation. Attention was also given to the innovations that the upcoming national legislation on personal data protection, fully transposing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union, will bring, as well as the changes and improvements to the “Right to Information” law.
At the conclusion of the activities in this city, Commissioner Dervishi joined the staff of the Gjirokastër Municipality in meetings with citizens to share best practices in proactive transparency and the handling of information requests in accordance with legal standards.