Mykola Tomenko: Ukrainian Laws protect the Professional Rights of the Journalists, and prevent Ambiguous Interpretation of the Law on the Personal Data Protection
As a response to numerous appeals of mass media, Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, clarified the situation concerning restriction of journalists´ rights in connection with the Law "On the Personal Data Protection."
The Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine emphasised that he had not voted for the adoption of this Law, as its principles may restrict access of mass media to the personal data of certain individuals. However, he stressed that the Law contained specific provisions, lest its norms should be used to restrict the journalists´ activity. Namely, clause 1 strictly defines that the Law is not applied to the activity connected with the formation of the personal data registers and data processing in these registers "by the journalists fulfilling their occupational duties."
M. Tomenko is convinced that the main factor that may restrict access of mass media to the personal data is the fact they are considered as classified information with the exception of "personal data of individual person claiming or occupying elected position (in representative bodies) or state official office of the first category."
The Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine reminded that on his initiative the Verkhovna Rada amended the laws on the protection of freedom of speech in 2003, and lifted the restrictions from the distribution of socially significant information.
Considering this fact, M. Tomenko emphasized, "Ukrainian laws protect the professional rights of the journalists, and prevent ambiguous interpretation of the Law on the Personal Data Protection."