The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law "On Identification Documents and Documents certifying Citizenship of Ukraine" In particular, 257 MPs voted in support of the law.
The law regulates legal relations connected with the establishment of a single form, and the procedure of manufacture, issue, exchange, prolongation, sending, withdrawal, temporary return to the state, invalidation and liquidation of the documents certifying citizenship of Ukraine, identifying the person or their special status.
The law guarantees realization of constitutional rights for the freedom of movement, free choice of residence in Ukraine, as well as the rights and obligations of the persons.
Access to the information, contained in the document, is determined by laws of Ukraine.
The law confirms that information in the documents is liable for machine processing and is kept in a format enabling identification of a person in order established by the legislation and no longer than necessary for a purpose the data has been gathered.
The MPs also adopted an amendment according to which individuals, who refuse to put data on non-contact media in accordance with their religious beliefs, should process their identification documents in order established by the Cabinet of Ministers.
After the adoption speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn noted that the parliament had made all necessary decision to get the EU visa free negotiations moving.
ForUm asked experts and MPs whether Ukrainians really need super modern documents.
Oleh, Zarubinsky, MP, head of parliamentary committee on human rights:
- The passport card will have the same printed information as in current passports: name, date and place of birth, when issued, by which authority and till when is valid. But it also provides for electronic chip with biometric data, determined by the Cabinet of MInisters.
I can say that the coutnries, which have biometric passports, use fingerprinting, iris image, interpupillary distance as biometric data.
As for the current valid passports, they will be in circulation until expiry. But those, who were born after December 31, 2011, will get an electronic passport with all the data. It will help to decrease the number of lost children and will prevent human traficking.
As for other important documents, such as pensioner tickets, certificates of disabled persons and social cards, these documents will also have an additional protection signs and will be given to the citizens at the cost of the state budget.
Hence, there will no more internal passport and foreign passport, but a single passport card.
Eduard Bagirov, human rights activist, chairman of the public council under Interior Ministry of Ukraine:
- This document conceals interests of commercial structures and is adopted for a certain commercial project.
If this law gave a choice to get normal or biometric passport, it would be adequate. But is turns out that after the expiry of my passport I will be obliged to buy(!), not to get for free a new one from a certain commercial enterprise. I believe that my rights as of a citizen of Ukraine are violated.
Besides, this document violates the anti-monopoly legislation, because the new passports will be issued by a monopolist. The law on consumers' rights is also violated, as a consumer has a right to choose goods, but in our case it is not possible.
The idea of biometric passports is good, but the law on it does not care about interests of citizens.
Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Foreign Minsiter of Ukraine:
- If we look from the point of European aspirations of Ukraine, I say we must fulfill our obligations, because the visa free regime depends on it. The fact that the law has been adopted is very positive. It is a step forward.
I also want to remind that biometric passports are not the only condition for visa free regime.
Ostap Semerak, MP from BYuT, member of the budget committee of the parliament:
- As far as I know the state budget 2012 does not include any expenses for transfer to biometric passports system. We should start with test series, try out and reveal weak points. Only then we can start full-fledged introduction. Anyway, I believe the transfer to the biometric system will take two-three years or more.
In general, this question must be taken easy. We set rapprochement with EU as our priority. For this we need to adopt European passport norm. The world is changing and we must change with it.
Oleksandr Paliy, expert, political scientists:
- Biometric passports are progressive technology. They facilitate the travel procedure. Such documents are difficult to forge.
But it is important that our habit to earn on everything could not be applied in this case. The state must guarantee simple and free of charge procedure of issuing, without involvement of private enterprises.
Tetyana Montian, lawyer:
- There is no point in introduction of biometric passports. It is not the time. The only goal of this innovation is to earn money on citizens, as this procedure is rather costly affair.
The majority of Ukraine's population does not need it. Tell me what does a granny from a village need this passport for.
For Christ's sake, let those who want it have it. But the country and citizens have more urgent problems and expenses than biometric passports.
The law regulates legal relations connected with the establishment of a single form, and the procedure of manufacture, issue, exchange, prolongation, sending, withdrawal, temporary return to the state, invalidation and liquidation of the documents certifying citizenship of Ukraine, identifying the person or their special status.
The law guarantees realization of constitutional rights for the freedom of movement, free choice of residence in Ukraine, as well as the rights and obligations of the persons.
Access to the information, contained in the document, is determined by laws of Ukraine.
The law confirms that information in the documents is liable for machine processing and is kept in a format enabling identification of a person in order established by the legislation and no longer than necessary for a purpose the data has been gathered.
The MPs also adopted an amendment according to which individuals, who refuse to put data on non-contact media in accordance with their religious beliefs, should process their identification documents in order established by the Cabinet of Ministers.
After the adoption speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn noted that the parliament had made all necessary decision to get the EU visa free negotiations moving.
ForUm asked experts and MPs whether Ukrainians really need super modern documents.
Oleh, Zarubinsky, MP, head of parliamentary committee on human rights:
- The passport card will have the same printed information as in current passports: name, date and place of birth, when issued, by which authority and till when is valid. But it also provides for electronic chip with biometric data, determined by the Cabinet of MInisters.
I can say that the coutnries, which have biometric passports, use fingerprinting, iris image, interpupillary distance as biometric data.
As for the current valid passports, they will be in circulation until expiry. But those, who were born after December 31, 2011, will get an electronic passport with all the data. It will help to decrease the number of lost children and will prevent human traficking.
As for other important documents, such as pensioner tickets, certificates of disabled persons and social cards, these documents will also have an additional protection signs and will be given to the citizens at the cost of the state budget.
Hence, there will no more internal passport and foreign passport, but a single passport card.
Eduard Bagirov, human rights activist, chairman of the public council under Interior Ministry of Ukraine:
- This document conceals interests of commercial structures and is adopted for a certain commercial project.
If this law gave a choice to get normal or biometric passport, it would be adequate. But is turns out that after the expiry of my passport I will be obliged to buy(!), not to get for free a new one from a certain commercial enterprise. I believe that my rights as of a citizen of Ukraine are violated.
Besides, this document violates the anti-monopoly legislation, because the new passports will be issued by a monopolist. The law on consumers' rights is also violated, as a consumer has a right to choose goods, but in our case it is not possible.
The idea of biometric passports is good, but the law on it does not care about interests of citizens.
Volodymyr Ohryzko, former Foreign Minsiter of Ukraine:
- If we look from the point of European aspirations of Ukraine, I say we must fulfill our obligations, because the visa free regime depends on it. The fact that the law has been adopted is very positive. It is a step forward.
I also want to remind that biometric passports are not the only condition for visa free regime.
Ostap Semerak, MP from BYuT, member of the budget committee of the parliament:
- As far as I know the state budget 2012 does not include any expenses for transfer to biometric passports system. We should start with test series, try out and reveal weak points. Only then we can start full-fledged introduction. Anyway, I believe the transfer to the biometric system will take two-three years or more.
In general, this question must be taken easy. We set rapprochement with EU as our priority. For this we need to adopt European passport norm. The world is changing and we must change with it.
Oleksandr Paliy, expert, political scientists:
- Biometric passports are progressive technology. They facilitate the travel procedure. Such documents are difficult to forge.
But it is important that our habit to earn on everything could not be applied in this case. The state must guarantee simple and free of charge procedure of issuing, without involvement of private enterprises.
Tetyana Montian, lawyer:
- There is no point in introduction of biometric passports. It is not the time. The only goal of this innovation is to earn money on citizens, as this procedure is rather costly affair.
The majority of Ukraine's population does not need it. Tell me what does a granny from a village need this passport for.
For Christ's sake, let those who want it have it. But the country and citizens have more urgent problems and expenses than biometric passports.
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