Svechla “marakli” MPB cameras installed with microphones and voice receptions

Former Internal Affairs Task Officer Jhelal Svechla at the time he was in this position had cameras installed in the offices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

But that is not the problem, since most government objects have installed cameras that record only images but not even sound.

In contrast, Svechla had decided that cameras in the Ministry of Internal Affairs should be installed by the type that record images but also sound.

This has been said by the safe sources of the Blic newspaper, which, according to these sources, Jedal Svecla had been warned that such a thing was a criminal offence, but that his reasoning was that it was not the one “who gave the order to set up the cameras that record the voice.

The sound cameras were also confirmed by the MPB Information Office.

The answer they gave from MPB via E - mail is said that after cameras have been observed listening, they have presented the case to the Information and Private Agency.

“MPBAP, since 2019, has identified the need to replace cameras found in the MPBAP facility because they were outdated, since they had never been changed since they were established by the donor who built the facility and who was the European Commission. As a result, on April 14, 2019, when the GIZ offered it The MPB has decided to look for new cameras to replace existing cameras. Due to donor procurement delays, the cameras were accepted in April 2020”, the MPB report said.

After the official admission, according to the response from the MPB, the camera installation process has begun last week and during this process, it has been observed that cameras have microphones and, in addition to visual images, they allow for voice reception.

“Allowing/venving audio registration in device is configured via video management software”, the MPB response reported.

According to the MPB, in demand sent to GIZ, respectively, the specifics for cameras sent from MPB to the donor, it is not required that the cameras have access to voice.

MPBAP has already applied to the Agency for Information and Privateness, in order to inform us whether the audio recording is allowed or not, to put these cameras in certain parts of the object, and to allow the use of these types of cameras that have microphones. The answer from this agency has not yet been received.

“However, as mentioned earlier, since audio registration (take or save voice) on these devices is configible via software (i.e. can stop recording, the cameras that have been set up, during the installation, are designed to only record images and enable you to record (save) of the voice, which is confirmed and can easily be testified to by images stored in digital video storage device (DVR) following the installation of several cameras”, further told in answer via email.

According to MPB, only one MPBAP official has access to the software for managing these cameras, while images are monitored by Kosovo police.

“L-062 for the protection of personal data approved by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo in 2019, in chapter XVI, envisions monitoring official and business buildings with cameras. However, we are awaiting legal interpretation from the Agency for Information and Privateness as a competent organ and will act in line with AIP” recommendations, the MPB's response says.

The newspaper Blic has tried to contact even former Interior Minister Jalal Svecla's taskman, but he has not responded to the calls either in the SMS.

He was charged by President Thaci, who along with former Prime Minister Albin Kurti and former Deputy Prime Minister Haki Abazi, had gone to the PTK File Room. In fact, according to Thaci, for three straight days, they had even stopped cameras.

To these charges, the Stecla Kurt had reacted, falsely calling a claim by President Thaci.