The Polish SA on tour across Poland - first meetings in Kraków and Tarnów behind us

On 26 September this year Mirosław Wróblewski, President of the Personal Data Protection Office, started a series of nationwide meetings with residents, local authorities and data protection officers in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. The first point of the action was a meeting in Tarnów with representatives of local authorities and DPOs and in Kraków with the city's residents.

“I would like the Personal Data Protection Office to be mobile from this year onwards, in line with public expectations, despite the lack of branches or regional delegations. We want to reach the population in particular with information on the protection of personal data, to be accessible,” with these words Mirosław Wróblewski, President of the Personal Data Protection Office, inaugurated the “The Polish SA on tour across Poland” campaign.

The President of the Personal Data Protection Office, together with his colleagues, first met at the delegation of the Malopolska Voivodeship Office in Tarnów – thanks to the hospitality of the Malopolska Voivode - with mayors, city presidents of the Małopolska Voivodeship and local IODs. The talks focused on the issue of personal data protection in local government units. Monika Młotkiewicz, Head of the Division of Cooperation with Data Protection Officers at the Personal Data Protection Office, conducted a training session for data protection officers  from local government units.

Mirosław Wróblewski announced close cooperation with and support for local government on the issue of effective protection of personal data in terms of both the General Regulation and cyber security issues.

The President of the Office also managed to meet with the regional media. He also held a meeting with representatives of the Archdiocese of Krakow regarding cooperation with church data officers.

One of the joint activities was a free legal advice point on personal data protection, organised at the Kraków City Hall at 10 Powstania Warszawskiego Avenue courtesy of the Mayor of the City of Kraków. Experts, who work on a daily basis at the Personal Data protection Office helpline, on that day assisted the residents of Kraków on issues related to the right to privacy and personal data protection. Dozens of citizens came to the Office's specialists with specific questions to which they could find answers together with their help.

Thanks to the first meetings under the “The Polish SA on tour across Poland” initiative, it was possible to familiarise the inhabitants of Małopolska with data protection issues and the activities of the Personal Data Protection Office, and for the Polish SA's employees to become better acquainted with the personal data protection problems they face.

Similar meetings of the President and staff of the Personal Data Protection Office will be held in further provinces as part of and as agreed with provincial governors and local authorities.