Agreement to help protect personal data

TIRANA, Feb 6 – Albania’s High Inspectorate of Declaration and Audit of Assets and U.S. Agency for International Development signed and agreement this week to formally establish ways the two institutions will collaborate in the future.
“It is essential that these two agencies work together to protect sensitive information that HIDAA receives every year from public officials and also satisfy the need for greater transparency and accountability of all public officials,” said the USAID Rule of Law project advisor, Grant Wilson.
HIDAA, created in 2003 to assist in reducing corruption in Albania’s public sector, audits all public officials, and conducts investigations on conflicts of interest.
Every year, HIDAA receives approximately 4,000 declaration forms. Through thorough investigations, it resolves on average a hundred conflict of interest cases each year with officials being dismissed, fined, or forced to remove the conflicting interest. Cases of high ranking public officials are referred to the General Prosecutor’s Office.
While HIDAA’s goal is to promote transparency, the Law Nr.9887, dated 10 March 2008 “On the protection of personal data,” exercised by the new Commissioner for Personal Data Protection (created in 2008,) defines the rules and procedures for the protection and treatment of personal data.
With USAID support, HIDAA has reached out to other agencies like the State Police, Ombudsman, Public Prosecutor’s Office and INSTAT to improve its efficiency and effectiveness.
“Our agency is given a high level of responsibility and is entrusted with personal data of public officials” said the HIDAA Inspector General. “We welcome the establishment of a closer working relationship with the Commissioner for Data Protection.”
Following the signing, counterparts from both agencies attended a USAID supported roundtable to discuss the rules on privacy and human rights.