The website Nashi Hroshi [Our Money] which monitors how the authorities spend taxpayers’ money reports another scandalous aspect of a law already condemned by human rights organizations

“Ukraine fatigue” is palpable in the wake of the parliamentary elections, however two more dangerous laws just signed into force make it clear that turning away cannot be an option

Viktor Timoshchuk has hard-hitting questions about a law which will cost billions, with it still unclear who will pay, why there has been no tender and why so many documents need biometric chips as well as why the government wants a database with so much information about Ukrainian citizens

By bringing in a State Demographic Register, MPs want to have total biometric records on Ukrainians. Much more information will be included than Ukraine’s international commitments demand.

Viktor Tymoshchuk from the Centre for Political and Legal Reform gives a damning assessment of the latest bill proposing to use biometric information on 13 different types of documents

The Law passed on 23 September envisaged the introduction of biometric cards for 20 types of documents. The Visa Facilitation Action Plan only requires biometric chips for passports.

The Verkhovna Rada has passed as a base a document which would introduce biometric information in passports

Despite calls from human rights, media and business groups, the President yesterday signed into law the potentially disastrous Law on Personal Data Protection

The Association of Ukrainian Banks is asking President to use his power of veto over Law No. 2273 passed on 1 June this year due to its non-compliance with international standards and extremely negative consequences for the country’s economy.

The Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union is convinced that the bill “On Personal Data Protection” does not meet European standards and could significantly jeopardize freedom of speech in Ukraine. It can therefore not be considered to fulfil Ukraine’s international obligations.

The First Deputy Minister says that they asked passengers and found that 80% were against the proposed change. Mr Korniyenko added that there was no ticket touting at the moment and there was no point to introducing named tickets.

Human rights groups call for legislative amendments to protect the privacy of all citizens, and not money-wasting and futile efforts to protect an elite of civil servants and officials

Soon the Parliament will consider three law drafts on the introduction of changes to the Law of Ukraine “On State register of physical persons – payers of taxes and other obligatory payments”. The drafts will concern the problem of the refusals of citizens from obtaining the identification numbers because of their religious views. The author analyzes some peculiarities of these drafts.

200 inhabitants of the Zapadnodonbasskiy district turned to tax inspection with the appeal. They refused to get the identification codes because of the religious views.