Polish government backs EU-wide exchange of air passenger data
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
25.03.2016 12:13
Interior Minister Mariusz Błaszczak joined his EU counterparts in calling for the adoption of the Passenger Name Record (PNR) directive by the European Parliament.
Interior Minister pf Poland Mariusz Błaszczak attends a special EU Council meeting on security, in Brussels, Belgium, 24 March 2016. EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET
An extraordinary meeting of justice and security ministers in Brussels on Thursday came two days after suicide bombers killed over 30 people in the Belgian capital.
The PNR would give security services of each member state access to an extensive database of information on air passengers.
Information available in the database would cover 42 matters, ranging from addresses of passengers to whether they requested halal food.
Opponents of the directive claim that it is an assault on privacy and a sign of encroaching surveillance.
However, Minister Błaszczak said that “anything that helps in saving people's lives is justified.
“The PNR should have been implemented a long time ago,” he said.
In a joint statement, the EU ministers called for the PNR to be adopted in April. (nh/pk)
Source: PAP