Bulgarian Special Services Found in Breach of Personal Data Protection Act

Bulgaria' s Personal Data Protection Commission has warned that special services in the country commit violations in the collection and storing of video surveillance recordings. Photo by 3.bp.blogspot.com

Bulgaria's State National Security Agency (DANS), the National Protection Service and the National Intelligence Service are collecting and processing video recordings without maintaining the mandatory written records at the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).

The alert was given Wednesday by Darik radio, which went on to informed that the Sofia Municipality also failed to keep a video surveillance register with the PDPC despite storing the recordings of scores of cameras placed near schools, kindergartens and parks.

Under a PDPC ordinance from 2009, any personal data controller who processes personal data through video recording has to declare the purpose and manner of collecting and storing the materials.

Of all law enforcement services in Bulgaria, only the Interior Ministry, the Military Police and the Military Intelligence have set up such registers with the PDPC.

DANS, the National Protection Service and the National Intelligence Service have registered as personal data controllers but do not keep the required video surveillance registers despite using cameras.

In an interview for Darik radio, Gen. Dimitar Dimitrov, head of the National Protection Service, said that the unit stored video recordings for up to three weeks.

"We have internal regulations but we do not keep such an archive. We delete video recordings no later than three weeks. We have installed security cameras only around our buildings", Dimitrov explained.

Gen. Kircho Kirov, head of the National Intelligence Service, explained that the unit did not operate on the territory of the country and was therefore not governed by Bulgarian law.

"We are not involved in such activities on the territory of the country. It is not the subject of Bulgarian legislation", Kirov said.

DANS confirmed that it was using a video surveillance system but remained evasive about maintaining an archive.

According to PDPC Chair Veneta Shopova, the strict rules on data protection applied at these services abuses do not automatically rule out abuses.

She assured journalists Wednesday that the matter would be discussed at the next session of PDPC.

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