Kasčiūnas: Even the Freedom Party may have ideas worth implementing

The NSGC meeting discussed the possibility of introducing a system for the issuance, inspection and recognition of vaccines, test results and disease control certificates, which aims to facilitate free movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The national certificate of immunity COVID-19 would allow a freer movement in the territory of Lithuania. Meanwhile, the EU Digital Green Card would be valid within the EU.

Not only a European initiative is important, but also a national one

“When we started talking about this issue, this issue was wrapped up in European directives, but we realized that there is a lot of relevance here, relevance as an opportunity for societies to return to normal life,” said Laurynas Kasčiūnas, president of NSGK.

The discussion, he said, is about which groups could move more freely and how to provide information about relapses, vaccinations, a negative test.

“This process also overlaps with the discussions in our country to create a national immunity passport,” emphasized L. Kasčiūnas, assuring that the discussion at the European level can be prolonged, so it is important to seek national solutions.

L. Kasčiūnas assured that the certificate should come into force when universal vaccination begins; Only then, according to him, will a situation not be created in which different citizens have different opportunities.

“There is an opportunity to move forward both at the European and national level. <..> I would joke that even the Freedom Party may have good ideas that are worth implementing. Certainly it is an idea to accelerate and the national certificate of immunity is good and I see that we do not have great obstacles for that.

Where there is a problem, it is clear that two levels of citizens will not be formed, ”said L. Kasčiūnas, president of NSGK, during the meeting.

The EU green passport is scheduled for June, we can wait for the national one before

The Vice Minister of Economy and Innovation Vincas Jurgutis emphasized that the document must be electronic. A paper version could be used in cases where it is impossible or inconvenient to use the electronic version. The data could be exchanged across the EU.

“It just came to our attention then. <..> In health, data is already being collected that a person has been vaccinated, is sick and the results of the tests are being collected, ”he explained.

According to the deputy minister, the Registry Center is working hard to ensure a smooth exchange of data between the parties. “According to that algorithm, the plan is for Lithuania to be ready by June 1,” said V. Jurgutis.

It should start operating in the EU in the second half of June. According to the vice minister, we could have a national certificate sooner. Decisions are scheduled for mid-April.

“It just came to our attention then de facto “There are many identical things that we can plan for the end of April in terms of the European certificate and perhaps a slightly simplified version,” said the deputy minister.

Audrius Ščeponavičius, Head of the Department of Public Health of the Ministry of Health (SAM), explained that there is a discussion at European level about what test answers to write in the document, how to use national certificates in practice.

“At the national level, we would have this certificate with the QR code by June 1, but even earlier, we are discussing what ways we could use the data we already have in the health field,” said a SAM spokesperson.

“As of today, it is already possible to have, if necessary, either in pdf format or to print an official health document extracted, which in principle is signed by the doctor or the person who carried out the vaccination, and use it. It is available in Lithuanian and English. Yes, there is no information encoded in the QR code, so the probability of counterfeiting remains, ”explained Saulius Urbanavičius, head of the Registry Center.

The Freedom Party called on the Government

The Freedom Party faction on Tuesday called on the government to immediately implement the idea of ​​a national immunity passport, which would allow companies to open up and receive services for people vaccinated, sick or screened.

“Our group proposes to prepare and introduce an immunity passport immediately. It would apply not only to those who have already been vaccinated, but also to those who have acquired immunity after illness or a negative test result,” said Ieva Pakarklytė , the largest of the Liberty Faction, on Tuesday after a remote meeting with Health Minister Arūnas Dulkis.

The MEP explained that according to his idea, the immunity passport should be electronic, which could be printed if necessary.

“It would be marked there that a person who is sick, vaccinated or has a negative test result in the relevant period, can attend, say, cultural events, travel to outdoor cafes. I would be free from certain social activities.

In this way, we would create an opportunity to go to events and work for companies. We also believe that an immunity passport would speed up the rate of vaccination. We are approaching mass vaccination, and what no one would really want us to face is a situation where we already see that this immunity passport is important for us, necessary, but technically not ready for it, ”said I. Pakarklytė.