NEW ID CARD WITHOUT UNIQUE CITIZENS' IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS

ZAGREB, Dec 5 (Hina) - The new identity card which will start being issued at the beginning of 2003 should not contain the unique citizen's identification number to protect the secrecy of personal information guaranteed by the Constitution and in line with European standards, Croatian Interior Ministry officials said on Wednesday. The Ministry suggested that the government stick by its motion, made during the related bill's first reading in parliament, that the new ID card not bear the identification number, despite numerous requests for the number to remain on the card. Some ministries, bankers and the REGOS pension insurance registry opposed the witholding of the number from the new ID cards, claiming that this would jeopardise the implementation of the pension reform and increase its costs. The current ID cards are being changed because they can easily be forged, they cannot be scanned and are too large to fit into an average wallet. The new card will have the same dimensions as credit cards and be made in line with European standards. The surname will be printed in front of the name, which is usual practice in most European countries. The cards will be printed in the Croatian and English languages, and in minority language for minorities. The final bill on the ID card which should come into effect at the beginning of 2003, should be formulated by the government at Thursday's session. (hina) lml sb