Podgorica, (MINA) – A group of 16 NGOs has called for the immediate withdrawal of the Draft Law on the National Security Agency (ANB) from the parliamentary procedure, stating that the proposed solutions pose a serious threat to the constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights of citizens.

The Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM), along with 15 other NGOs, announced in a press release that they are joining the appeal submitted by the Human Rights Action (HRA), the Center for Civic Education and the Center for Women’s Rights, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Draft.

They said that the law was adopted without prior public discussion and without consultation with experts and civil society.

“And the proposed solutions seriously threaten the constitutional and internationally guaranteed rights of citizens, above all the right to privacy, the protection of personal data and confidentiality of communication”, the press release said.

According to them, it is particularly concerning that the Draft Law would allow access to all personal and sensitive data of citizens without a prior court decision, including medical, financial and other records.

“It is unacceptable that the law would allow the ANB director to approve such a serious invasion of privacy, which not only disregards previous decisions of the Constitutional Court, but also deprives citizens of basic legal protection”, the press release said.