NATALIA KORNIENKO: SUCCESSFUL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN THIS COUNTRY IS 99% DEPENDENT ON AN OFFICIAL’S PERSONALITY

The greatest danger associated with a single database on all Russians is that it creates a possibility to change, within seconds, your entire life. This is what Natalia Kornienko, Head of the Gaidar Institute’s Tax System Development Department said in her interview with Radio Sputnik.

In her opinion, a citizen’s personal information ‘corrected’ by swindlers may translate into a criminal proceeding against him or her. And it is extremely difficult to prove, that it was not the citizen himself who had introduced those corrections.

Previously, a draft law had been submitted to the State Duma whereby a unified electronic database on

all Russian residents should be created. It will store each individual’s entire personal information: full name, data and place of birth, financial history, digital copies of education and family status certificates, and information on family members.

The only problem with such a database is that it is not clear who exactly will be responsible for its safety, said Ms Kornienko. ‘It has become our tradition that everything depends on a given person. Successful government administration of each branch or sector, in this country, is 99% dependent on the responsible official’s personality. Who will guarantee to our citizens that their information will not be taken over by fraudsters? The database will contain information on our property, bank cards, family, relatives. It can be used by anyone, for any unlawful purposes,’ explained the expert.

One possible way to resolve the safety issue could be a lengthy period of the new system’s testing. Natalia Kornienko believes that for another 15 or 20 years after the launch of the electronic database, government agencies must be obliged to also accept the paper copies of all documents. Then, it would be easier for an individual to disprove falsified data.

The start of the work to create a unified electronic register is planned for 2022. It should be reminded that, from 2020 onwards, Russia will begin to issue electronic passports.