Deputy Minister: If there are violations of the legislation, the  activity of VisaMetric in Armenia may be blocked

ArmInfo. The activity of VisaMetric CJSC in Armenia can be blocked if violations of legislation in the sphere of ensuring the confidentiality of personal data of citizens  are revealed. This, responding to the question of ArmInfo, on April 5  after the meeting of the government, Deputy Foreign Minister of  Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan stated.

As the deputy minister stressed, the issue should be fully studied, since it is unacceptable for  Armenia that the issue of confidentiality of personal data is  jeopardized. "Based on the studies, a decision will be made,"  Kocharian said, stressing that even before the final decision was  taken, the German Embassy in Armenia has already stated that the  former procedure for accepting applications for issuing visas will be  in force.

At the same time, answering a question about whether it is possible  that, based on the results of VisaMetric studies in Armenia, the  authority to receive visa application documents will still be  delegated, Shavarsh Kocharyan stated: "At this stage, the issue is in  the focus of attention, is under consideration. Armenia has a law "On  the protection of personal data of citizens" and if there is a threat  of violation of their confidentiality, we will take appropriate  steps. "

The day before, the German embassy in Armenia issued a statement that  while it continues to accept applications for the provision of  Schengen visas to Austria, the FRG, the Netherlands, Belgium,  Luxembourg and Sweden. "For technical reasons, the company  VisaMetrick, which from April 3 had to accept applications for  obtaining Schengen visas at the German Embassy, can not yet carry out  its mission," the German embassy in the statement said. It should be  noted that the Ministry of Justice of Armenia earlier blocked the  processing of personal data by VisaMetric. The Ministry of Justice  began to check the activities of VisaMetrick, in connection with the  concern of the citizens of Armenia that VisaMetrik is a Russian-  Turkish consortium headquartered in Turkey. RA citizens are afraid  that their personal data will be placed at the disposal of the  Turkish side by means of JSC "VisaMetrik". However, previously the  German Ambassador to Armenia Matthias Kiesler assured that under the  Center's activities the rules of confidentiality and safety standards  will be strictly observed. "The Armenian office will be headed by a  citizen of Armenia, the employees will also be citizens of Armenia,  no personal information can get into third parties," the diplomat  assured. According to him, the company was selected on a strict  competitive basis, taking into account objective criteria. The  competition was held for the South Caucasus region as a whole, and  not for a single Armenia. The Center also operates in Central Asia.  Recall that since April 3 of this year, Armenian citizens had to  apply for  Schengen visa for a visit to Germany, Austria, Belgium,  the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Sweden, not to the German Embassy in  Armenia, but to the special center "VisaMetrik". This was motivated  by the fact that the diplomatic department does not manage to process  so many applications for a Schengen visa.