Personal Data: We were called to handle a large amount of personal data due to a pandemic

The office of the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection, Irini Loizidou Nikolaidou, handled large volumes of personal data due to the coronavirus pandemic. This emerges from her annual report for 2020, which the Commissioner delivered today to the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis, at the Presidential Palace, according to a statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic.

Presenting the report, Ms. Nikolaidou said that the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 required the collection of large volumes of personal data, explaining that "All this processing is done within the framework of legality, always of course with a perfect balance of protection of privacy, but at the same time protection of public health."

Receiving the report, the President of the Republic pointed out that both the Commissioner herself and her associates "strictly, adhering to the provisions of the law did not fail to have such cooperation that allowed us to implement policies unprecedented that definitely affect privacy and in general (policies) that relate to the personal data of citizens.

In fact, he stressed that the cooperation took place without violating rights and in accordance with the law.

Report of the Information Commissioner

In addition, Ms. Loizidou Nikolaidou handed over to the President of the Republic the first annual report of the Information Commissioner, who is the respective Commissioner for Personal Data Protection. It is noted that this institution has been operating for a year.

The Commissioner emphasized that a natural or legal person has the right to receive information from the public administration by controlling it. "It is very important legislation, it is a tool of accountability and transparency," he added.

Receiving the report, the President of the Republic stated that the new institution of the Information Commissioner is another stage of safeguarding the rights of citizens through the obligation of the state to be accountable for issues related to personal data.

In closing, President Anastasiadis said that steps are being taken to modernize the state and expressed the hope that by the end of his term, other reforms will be achieved for the benefit of the citizens in cooperation with the political forces. He added that "the future Government will have an easier task either in terms of personal data or in the fight against corruption or in the transparency and protection of witnesses or in the reform of justice or for the Local Government - the Public Service has been law - which will be credited to the political forces and not to the respective Government ".