site.btaReformist Bloc, GERB Disagree on Draft Provisions for Introduction of Electronic Chip in Identity Cards

Reformist Bloc, GERB Disagree on Draft Provisions for Introduction of  Electronic Chip in Identity Cards

Sofia, March 10 (BTA) - At a briefing in Parliament Thursday, MPs of the Reformist Bloc insisted on keeping the texts in the bill on electronic identification that envisage the possibility to introduce an electronic chip in identity cards. Nayden Zelenogorski, Dimiter Delchev and Antoni Trenchev explained that during the bill's discussion at the parliamentary Internal Security and Public Order Committee on Wednesday, MPs of GERB proposed the removal of these texts.

The Reformist Bloc sees this as a serious problem because it could threaten the opportunity for effective e-government and e-voting, which is actively supported by the Bulgarian society, has been subjected to a national referendum and has been approved by Parliament, Zelenogorski said.

In Delchev's words, GERB's concerns that the electronic identity cards will be very expensive for the citizens are ungrounded. The Interior Ministry said that the new cards' issue will cost the same as the present ones', he added.

The Reformist Bloc will insist that the texts for an electronic chip in identity cards be voted in Parliament, otherwise the formation plans to submit a bill to amend the Bulgarian Personal Documents Act so that the issue of electronic identity cards can be authorized.

Approached by journalists for a comment, GERB Floor Leader and Internal Security Committee Chair Tsvetan Tsvetanov said that the special law on Bulgarian personal documents cannot be amended through the bill on electronic identification. In his words, GERB is in favour of electronic identification but the philosophy of the Bulgarian Personal Documents Act should be taken into consideration. At present, biometric data cannot be put in Bulgarians' identity cards, he noted. "We will not allow the legislation to be chaotic, it should be consistent and well-grounded," Tsvetanov said.

Later on Thursday, Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova told Bulgarian journalists in Brussels that the introduction of electronic chips in Bulgarian identity cards is a matter of time and cannot possibly be avoided. The Interior Ministry has submitted the bill which has been approved by the Council of Ministers and has been subjected to a public discussion already, she explained. "We have done everything to guarantee that it is universally accepted," she said.