Hungarian data protection official says info on US surveillance unclear

Budapest, June 12 (MTI) - News about who in Europe may be affected by US surveillance programmes in light of information given by the NSA whistleblower is contradictory, while the authorities involved are putting up a smoke-screen, the head of Hungary s data-protection authority (NAIH) said on Wednesday.

Attila Peterfalvi told MTI it was unclear whose phone calls or email in Europe the National Security Agency was monitoring.

Concrete answers to questions can only be had once the European Commission turns to the American authorities over the issue, he said.

Peterfalvi said he agreed with the decision of EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding to turn to US Attorney General Eric Holder with a request for information regarding surveillance issues brought to light by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Peterfalvi said it was unclear whether the data in question only concerned phone calls or the internet as well, or whether the content of conversations as well as the metadata had also been monitored by US government agencies.

NAIH s chairman noted that Hungarian telecommunications service providers are legally obliged to keep records of calls, but this can only contain metadata.

In Hungary, access to content -- wiretapping phone conversations -- is only possible in concrete cases and after strict procedures have been followed, he added.

Peterfalvi said it was as yet doubtful what kind of legal remedy EU citizens could seek as the United States lacks a unified, general law on data protection or a relevant authority.