The mandate of the outgoing Commissioner expired at the end of last month, and on 15 July the Parliament issued a public call for the election of a new one. Early next week marks the expiry of the legal deadline by which the Assembly's Committee on Public Administration must publish the list of applicants who meet the requirements for election.

"The role of the Commissioner is to ensure that the public has access to information of public interest, while at the same time protecting citizens' data from misuse. This position requires not only expertise, but also personal integrity, independence in decision-making, and resistance to pressure. I applied because I believe that citizens today often remain without timely and effective protection of their rights, even though the regulations and mechanisms for protecting them exist," says Ana Toskić Cvetinović.

Partners Serbia, which Toskić Cvetinović is leading for almost ten years, works on personal data protection and the public's right to access information of public importance. The organization launched Privacy Week, an annual event dedicated to the protection of the right to privacy, as well as the Privacy School, through which it trains new generations of experts in this field. Partners Serbia has also played a role in preventing the legalization of mass biometric surveillance in Serbia, has supported citizens in cases of violations of the right to data protection, and has helped media, journalists and organizations use access-to-information mechanisms to protect the public interest.

Toskić Cvetinović believes the Commissioner should prioritize resolving journalists' complaints regarding access to information of public importance, initiate misdemeanor proceedings against public authorities that continuously violate the law, and respond more actively to cases of misuse of citizens' data. Among her priorities, she also sees direct dialogue with major technology platforms on protecting the rights of Serbian citizens in the digital space, as well as the Commissioner's active involvement in data protection issues raised by the growing use of artificial intelligence.

Ana Toskić Cvetinović's candidacy for the position of Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection has been supported by more than one hundred civil society organizations in Serbia.

The Commissioner is elected by the National Assembly by a majority vote of all members of parliament, for a term of eight years. The position of Commissioner is incompatible with membership in a political party and with other functions or activities that could affect his or her autonomy and independence.