Arapović: Law on Information Security by the end of the month

(Patria) - For a year now, I have been talking about how important it is for the Law on Information Security to finally be adopted in the Federation of BiH, announced Adis Arapović, a representative in the FBiH Parliament.

"The modern era brings completely new, digital and information threats that are becoming more dangerous than traditional security challenges. We are exposed to internet terror and aggression both as individuals and as a state, and little or no one is dealing with the protection of us and our children, our institutions or companies.

The absence of a legal framework increases the risk of internet crime and terror against citizens, hacker attacks on the information systems of public institutions, and the digital space remains vulnerable, with an increased risk of serious cyber aggression. In the Federation of BiH, there is no central body responsible for the security of information systems such as, for example, data in the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute, health insurance institutes, clinical centers, the Tax Administration, registry offices, police, post offices, power companies, telecom operators, the defense industry (!)", says Arapović.

He adds that he recently received a response from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to a representative's initiative from 26.01.2021, in which he requested that the Law on Information Security be finally submitted to the parliamentary procedure within 60 days.

"I am positively surprised by the speed of the line ministry's response, and especially by the information that the Law should be determined by the Government and sent to Parliament for consideration by the end of the current month. I thank the minister and the staff of the Ministry for the prompt response and the effort invested in preparing this Law.

However, the response stated that a number of cantons have not provided the requested opinion on the Draft Law, which is causing a multi-month delay in its finalization. The (in)voluntary obstruction by lower levels of government in the preparation and adoption of such an important law cannot last forever, nor can it be an excuse for the law to be dragged through the work programs of the FBiH Government and Parliament for several years. I will consider the Ministry's response positive and affirmative if the Law is indeed determined by the Government by the end of the month, and if all institutions or individuals who slow down or obstruct the adoption of the Law are publicly named, so that public criticism is not directed at the Ministry or the FBiH Government," adds Arapović.