The Ukrainian government is investing in biometric passports, aiming to install over 600 terminals across the country for passport processing by the end of January.
The move is being done at least in part to satisfy requirements for the country’s membership in the EU, in anticipation of an EU mission to verify that Ukraine has proceeded with a promised visa liberalization plan. Apparently the country’s State Migration Service had been proceeding too slowly with the measures for Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s liking, and so his government decided to invest UAH 150 million into the project to ensure it would be done within a few months.
Given recent tensions in Europe over terrorism and EU members’ growing interest in biometric security, its no surprise that a new member would be required to implement such measures. It reflects a broader trend around the world, as countries like India and Australia strive to set up national registries of citizens’ biometric data for the purpose of security screening.
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Novemebr 7, 2014 – by Alex Perala
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