"Leak of confidential information cause for concern"

"Leak of confidential information cause for concern"

Information obtained through investigations carried out by the police or other government institutions must not leak to the public if they can jeopardize individual rights and assumption of innocence, Davenport said and added that this constitutes reason for concern.

Continuous leakage of such information to the media is a reason for concern, he noted at the opening of the 9th European Political and Legal Forum organised by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the German agency GIZ.

Davenport said that on the legislative plane, Serbia managed to live up to many EU standards in the area but that efforts need to be invested in the implementation of legal solutions.

Davenport warned against the frequent problem of inaccessibility of important information of public importance which is one of the citizens' inalienable rights since the media should serve as the guardian of public interest.

There must be no political reserves because corruption, organised crime and extremism have no political prognostic and these problems are either countered or not, there can be no selective showdown, he said.

The protection of personal data and availability of information of public importance constitute some of the fundamental pillars of a democratic society and the balance of these two is crucial for the development of such a society, the head of the EU delegation in Serbia released.