On March 27 (Thursday) at 14:30, at the National Assembly a hearing of the candidates for chairperson and members of the Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP) will be held. The hearing will take place before the Committee on Internal Security and Public Order, and the session will be broadcast live.
A link to the broadcast will be posted at TI Bulgaria website and Facebook profile as soon as it becomes available.
The selection of the new members of the Commission for Protection of Personal Data (CPPD) is of crucial importance, as the Commission plays a key role as the central body responsible for receiving and reviewing reports under the Act on Protection of Persons, Reporting Information, or Publicly Disclosing Information about Breaches , making it an important guardian of citizens’ rights.
It is tasked with ensuring the effective protection of whistleblowers while helping to strengthen the rule of law and accountability in both the public and private sectors.
What does this mean in practice?
Protection for Whistleblowers – The Commission for Personal Data Protection must ensure the protection of the identity and personal data of individuals who file reports.
Oversight of Employers and Institutions – The Commission monitors whether organizations are complying with the rules for protecting whistleblowers and takes action in cases of violations.
For the law to be effective, the CPDP must be an independent, competent, and proactive body that ensures reports will not be ignored or used against those who file them.
As an organization that has been actively monitoring the transposition of the Whistleblower Protection Directive (2019/1937), as well as the implementation of national legislation, the Association sent questions to the candidates seeking clarity on their vision for the development of the Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP), the regulator’s independence, and the effectiveness of mechanisms for protecting whistleblowers.
The candidate hearings are a crucial stage in the selection process, which will determine the direction in which the institution will develop in the coming years.
Transparency International Bulgaria is implementing the LAW (Legitimacy and Accountability for Whistleblower Protection) project, which aims to enhance understanding of the role of institutions and citizens in reporting violations. The project is implemented in partnership with Transparency International Romania and the National Integrity Agency of Romania, co-funded by the European Commission under the “Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values” (CERV) program.