100,000 e-passports and 250,000 identification cards to be purchased within 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net - Director of E-governance Infrastructure Implementation Unit OJSC Arthur Ghulyan said that around 100,000 electronic passports and 250,000 identification cards will be purchased within 2010.

“An identification center will be established in the Police,” Ghulyan said during a discussion of the program on Electronic Society and Innovations for Stimulating Competitiveness.

He added that there are 61 registration centers in Armenia and all of them will be equipped with modern facilities and software.

“A competition will be organized on the basis of cooperation between the private and state sectors. The World Bank will secure a part of the project’s financing, while the rest will be provided by a private organization. The company will be able cover the investments within 3-5 years through the sale of electronic passports and ID-cards,” Ghulyan said.

Besides, Certification Center will be established through the WB’ funds, while the further operation of the center will be also based on cooperation of the private and state sectors.

Ghulyan noted that only Police employees will have access to the system of data identification, and this field will not be privatized. “Privatization of the Certification Center will mean that the organization will be provided for management or partial management. Meanwhile, telecommunication operators and banking sector will be main users of the system,” Ghulyan said.

Biometric passports with electronic data are envisaged to be introduced in Armenia from April 2011. Two types of passports will be introduced – ID cards for the internal use and biometric international passports.