Shmyhal says Ukraine will join discussion on COVID passports

Denis Shmyhal named the most reliable way to verify vaccinated persons. Photo: a screenshot of the broadcast on the CabMin YouTube channel

Ukraine will join the ongoing discussion on COVID passports in Europe and offer its expertise, said the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denis Shmyhal at a briefing on March 4.

According to him, the best option is electronic verification of a vaccinated person, since “any paper today, and even a hologram, can be forged, made for unvaccinated people, etc.”.

“When there is a QR code, when there is a unified verified state register, for which the state is responsible, and you open a QR code in your phone that can be checked and there are data from the register whether you are vaccinated or not – this is probably the simplest and the most reliable way to verify vaccinated persons,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that the discussion in Europe about what the international standard for a COVID passport should be today continues and "there is still no consensus".

“We will join these discussions. Moreover, we will offer our expertise. This register of vaccinated persons, which has been operational since March 1, is a ready-made state register of such electronic verifications. <...> The question is for this verification to become international, what will this standard be like – discussions are going on in Europe today, we will join them, we will give our advice and, of course, we will actively continue this discussion,” Denis Shmyhal said.

As reported, the Belgian Foreign Ministry opposed the connecting of vaccination certificates against coronavirus, the introduction of which is now being discussed in the EU, to free movement in Europe.

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