SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS

Azat Artsakh – Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR)
18 June 2004

For the aim of introducing the system of social security cards and
according to the corresponding articles of the NKR law “On Social
Security Cards” the NKR government made a decision on considering the
NKR Ministry of Social Security as the government-authorized body to
issue social security cards. The authorized bodies implementing works
are the department of health and social security of the Stepanakert
City Hall and the regional services of social security. We talked
to the head of the department of health and social security of the
Stepanakert City Hall Ofelia Grigorian about questions concerning the
system of social security cards. – Mrs. Grigorian, What is a social
card? What is the meaning of introducing the system of social cards? –
The system of social security is in the stage of reforms. For effective
use of resources, improvement of the social sphere certain mechanisms
are required. The system of social security cards is a mechanism. As
a result we expect to simplify the form of application for benefits,
pensions or aid, direct these to only poor families, without paperwork
verify the data in the applications for social benefits and aid,
register the years of service, salaries, social payments of workers,
maintain the size of the life pension according to the social payments,
control the payment of social payments of the employers, which will
enable regular increase of pensions, effective collection of taxes,
increase budget assets by revealing shade economy. The introduction
of cards starts from the interests of conscientious and law-abiding
citizens of our republic. Besides, the social card is a document for
foreign citizens having the right to live and living in NKR, persons
not having citizenship, and persons with the status of refugee. The
meaning of introduction of social card system is the use of the
number of the card, which is unique and unchangeable. In individual
database the number of the social card will be used as a means of
identification of the person due to which the procedure of processing
data and exchange of information by the order maintained by legislation
will be regulated and improved. – Why did the necessity of creating or
introducing the system of social cards occur? – The existing methods
of using the information of the databases of the state governmental
bodies in NKR today do not enable to pass necessary information
efficiently, and the exchange of information through references
causes abuse, on the one hand, and increases the circulation of
non-trustworthy information, on the other hand. The above mentioned
circumstances essentially reduce the effectiveness of work of state
governmental bodies, the addressed implementation of programs, hinder
the adequate implementation of the rights of citizens. The solution
of the above-mentioned problems and other problems related to them
supposes making certain steps by the government in a number of spheres
of life, and in this context a step to be made is introduction of
the modern information technologies, i.e. computerized information
system and the use of an unchangeable, unique and common means
of person identification. – In what cases will the social cards
or their numbers be used? – According to the corresponding law,
they will be used when processing the personal data of the citizens
including payment of salaries, pension provided by governmental and
non-governmental social security programs, benefits, compensation,
and payment of taxes, levies, obligatory social insurance, other
obligatory payments, as well as processing paper databases of the
organizations under the state and municipal governmental bodies.
After the enforcement of the law during the implementation of the
rights and duties of the citizens the number of the social card will
be used in corresponding documents, as well as databases. Those
persons who will not have a social card their documents will not
be considered valid if the number of the social card is not marked
there. – Can the social card be used as a personal identification
document? – The social card is not a personal identification document
and cannot be used as such. On the social card the number of the card,
the name, family name and fatherâ^À^Ùs name of the citizen, the
day, month and year of issuing the card as well as the serial number
of the personal identification document on the basis of which the
social card is issued are marked. – Are there countries where similar
systems are used? – In all the countries with more or less developed
social security systems, such as Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark,
Ireland, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Great Britain, Switzerland, France,
etc, similar systems operate. There are not few countries where the
system has recently been or is being introduced presently. This system
is mainly used in two spheres, social and tax. – How can we receive
the card? – The social card is issued in two ways, through individual
and collective applications. Collective applications are presented
by the offices, enterprises to the departments of social service,
and the individual applications are filled in at the departments.
In 60 days after the application the authorized persons of the office
or enterprise and the citizen personally receive the card presenting
the personal identification document to the department where the
application was presented. For receiving the social card the citizen
does not make any payments.

LAURA GRIGORIAN. 18-06-2004