The goal of the draft Law on Information Security is to increase the level of protection and security of information-communication systems in the country, as well as raising awareness on the dangers in this field among institutions, public administration bodies and citizens, Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajić said today.

Presenting the draft law to deputies at the National Assembly, Ljajić said that Serbia is not spared from cyber attacks and high-tech crime, requiring an umbrella law that would follow trends in protection from these phenomena.

Recalling the “attacks” against the websites of the Privatization Agency and other bodies that had occurred two years ago, Ljajić said that Serbia is faced with nearly the same challenges that are present worldwide.

“The key reason for the adoption of this law is the fact that significant challenges are coming up in the field of information security, and we are daily becoming aware of the vulnerability of our devices, and of this becoming a global problem. Cyber attacks are numerous, over 1,000 American companies reported incidents and hacker attacks during the last two years”, said Ljajić, the Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications.

The draft law, he said, should enable defining protection measures, establish the responsibility of legal persons managing such systems, and the bodies competent for implementing measures.

An entire assortment of systems have been regulated by the provisions, with the obligation of adopting security acts delineating clear measures of protection for all those systems, explained Ljajić.

He also presented the deputies with a draft Law on Advertising, stating that the current law was adopted 10 years ago, and many of its provisions have been made obsolete by technological development.

The goal of the law, he said, is consumer protection, but also the provision of a fair and honest market game and the prevention of unfair competition.

One of the novelties of the draft law are in regards to advertising alcoholic drinks in electronic media. Thus it will be possible to advertise drinks with up to 20 percent alcohol content between 6 PM and 6 AM, while those with over 20 percent alcohol content from 11 PM to 6 AM.

Advertising alcoholic drinks in print media will be made possible for the first time, with the exception of magazines intended for children and underage persons, and the draft law prohibits misleading advertising, deceiving buyers.

Advertising in open spaces is defined to be under the competence of local self-governments, internet advertising is also defined, and for the first time the advertising of games of fortune is also regulated, limited to the period from 9 PM to 6 AM.