Nezavisne novine: Issuing of biometric passports in BiH should start on October 1st, this year, has been said yesterday by Sredoje Nović, Minister of Civil Affairs of BiH.

Biometric passports are one of the EU conditions for liberalization of visa regime for BiH citizens, while earlier has been announced that their issuing will start on September 15, or October 15, this year.

Nović has spoken about preparations for beginning of issuing of passports with the Minister of Justice of the FBiH, Feliks Vidović and Siniša Macan, director of the Identification Documents, Data Exchange and Evidence Agency of BiH (IDDEEA).

Nović has pointed out that in the next month it is necessary to remove all the problems by issuing of personal documents.

"We have chosen to go over all cantonal ministries of internal affairs and all local authorities, which issue documents, to review the problems faced by citizens and those, who issue documents, in order to remove them until October 1st, when issuing of biometric passports will start", Nović has said.

Siniša Macan, director of the IDDEEA, has said that the new system of issuing personal documents works. This system has been functioning since the beginning of July, and Macan has pointed out that a human factor cannot respond to demands of citizens, and that it should be quickened.

"The system has begun to work and it is now being worked on improving it and on the obligations, which the entity and local authorities should finish by the end of the year, in order to improve and quicken verification of data. It is necessary to quicken the process and establish the digitally signed evidences, in order for verification to be automatic", Macan has said. He has pointed out that despite of all problems during the last month; neither citizen has waited more than 30 days for issuing of documents, which is a stipulated legal deadline.