Podgorica, (MINA) - The Agency for the Protection of Personal Data and Free Access to Information (AZLP) is not competent to act in cases where video surveillance is carried out by private individuals on private property, the institution announced.

They said this responding to the Police Administration press release, in which called on the AZLP to remove the surveillance cameras recording public areas, within the scope of their legal competences.

The AZLP called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to, instead of, as they stated, misinforming the public, take responsibility for solving issues within its own jurisdiction.

As pointed out by AZLP, the Law on the Personal Data Protection expressly stipulates that this law does not apply to natural persons conducting video surveillance on their private property.

“Despite this, the Agency’s competence in these cases is still implied in public statements, which creates space for the shifting of responsibility”, said AZLP.

They also pointed out that AZLP, in a letter dated April 8 last year, initiated a meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the aim of preventing such situations and ensuring legal and coordinated action in cases under the Agency’s jurisdiction.

As they emphasized, the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not respond to that invitation.