site.btaParliament Passes Conclusively Electronic Identification Bill

Parliament Passes Conclusively  Electronic Identification Bill

sofia, May 11 (BTA) - The National Assembly passed conclusively an electronic identification bill at its regular meeting on Wednesday.
   
It enables natural persons to identify themselves through sector digital identification and to have access to e-services in certain sectors of state governance such as finances, health care, and social activities. 
   
Digital identification will allow unequivocal distinction of one person from another virtually, with the aim of providing access to information systems or the opportunity to make digital statements, MPs decided.
   
Bulgarian citizens and foreigners over 14 with a Standard Public Register Number, respectively a Personal Alien Number, will be entitled to digital identification.
   
The digital identification certificates will be issued by the Minister of Interior following a written application by natural persons. An application can also be submitted through a registered digital identification administrator or a Bulgarian diplomatic mission. Krassimir Yankov of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) - Left Bulgaria commented that this activity is being outsourced to digital identification administrators, which is a condition for corruption.
   
The certificate will be valid for five years and will be entered in an Interior Ministry register. One person may request the issuance of more than one certificate.
   
Yankov suggested a 10-year period of validity of the electronic ID, but this did not pass in plenary. His argument was that the five-year period will lead to the collection of more money from the people for new IDs.  
   
Deputy Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Valeri Borissov pointed out that the new ID is just one of the opportunities to record the electronic identification. The five-year term of validity of the identification is designed to protect the security of the physical bearer. Personal IDs are valid for ten years and they will not be changed every five years. Rather, an electronic identification will be recorded on them every five years. This is similar to a disc or an USB where files can be saved repeatedly.
   
Borissov's ministry will establish an electronic identification centre, MPs decided. The Interior Ministry will maintain a public register of the electronic identification administrators and centres, as well as a digital register of issued and terminated identifications, their holders and the relevant electronic identification certificates.       
   
The Electronic Identification Bill will become effective six months after it is promulgated in the "State Gazette", with the exception of some provisions for which more time has been planned.
   
Texts allowing the opportunity for a chip in IDs were waived by the MPs. Tsvetan Tsvetanov of GERB said the procedure will be provided in a special ID bill to amend and supplement the current Personal Documents Act, which has already been approved by the Council of Ministers. It has been submitted to the National Assembly and will be considered by the relevant committee. The bill provides for the Interior Ministry to have the capacity to issue digitized personal documents as of January 1, 2018.