SPIRIC: BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN BOSNIA BY THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF 2009

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 8,2008) - The Bosnian government adopted yesterday information by the Bosnian Ministry of Civil Affairs related to the activities regarding issuing personal documents and locations for issuing as well as the Plan of the activities for introducing biometric passports.

Bosnia's Prime minister Nikola Spiric announced after the session that this is one of the conditions for liberalization of the visa regime with the EU countries, and the end of the first half of 2009 stays as a date when Bosnia should introduce biometric passports.

He pointed out that the Bosnian Council of Ministers suggested that the entity, cantonal and local organs establish digitally authorized electronic record of citizens by January 1st 2010 the latest and that they should perform inspection supervision at every location at least twice a year.

He warned that it is less important if Bosnia would introduce biometric passports on May 31st 2009, since what Brussels will value is whether the data basis according to which the documents are issued are safe.

"That where this need comes from, since the registry offices are neuralgic points for issuing false documents and that is why the central base of data is needed," Spiric said.

A biometric passport is a combined paper and electronic identity document that uses biometrics to authenticate the citizenship of travelers. The passport's critical information is stored on a tiny computer chip, much like information stored on smartcards. Like some smartcards, the passport book design calls for an embedded contactless chip that is able to hold digital signature data to ensure the integrity of the passport and the biometric data.
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