Data Protection Authority warned socialists party over lost data of former communist party members

In February 2013 atlatszo.hu found important microfilms on party statistics and party membership records at the socialist party MSZP’s ex-headquarters at  II. János Pál pápa square (formerly known as Köztársaság square) in Budapest. The roll films – which included personal data of more than ten thousand former party members – were brought to the Open Society Archives for further examination. The Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information also investigated the case. The authority found that it would have been the responsibility of the MSZP party to ensure the complete clearing of the building and to protect the data on the roll films well. They stated that the microfilms belong to the property of the National Archive of Hungary. However, the National Authority did not fine MSZP, it has only warned the party to avoid such negligence in the future and to observe the law on data protection and freedom of information properly.

Read atlatszo.hu’s story in Hungarian published on 31July 2013 here. Translation by atlatszo.hu volunteers.