Belarusian MPs pass bill expanding fingerprinting of foreigners

November 5, Pozirk. The National Assembly’s House of Representatives voted at the bill’s first reading to include foreigners in groups of persons subject to mandatory fingerprinting in Belarus, its press office reports.

Amendments would allow border guards to take foreigners’ fingerprints as they enter Belarus, collect, use and store this data, MP Michaił Aksianiuk said, noting that the groups of foreigners subject to this procedure have been “significantly expanded.”

The document also requires bus companies and private transport businesses to share passengers’ personal data with the Belarusian transport ministry.

The bill still needs the approval of the upper house, the Council of the Republic, before it can be signed into law by Alaksandar Łukašenka.