Even if the Soviet-type passports are no longer valid from September 1, the pensioners who didn’t manage to obtain identity cards will be able to receive pensions based on the old identification papers during at least one month. According to the State Information Resources Center “Registru”, about 30,000 people do not yet have new identity cards.

Interviewed by IPN, head of the Center’s Information Systems Department Eugen Ursu said that in a meeting with competent officials last week, it was agreed the procedure for paying pensions to persons who do not yet have identity cards. When the person goes to take the pension at the post office or bank, his/her personal data will be transmitted to the Center “Registru” for immediately issuing identity cards to them.

“We do not want to cause impediments to them or precedents. We will allow such a mechanism to be implemented, but the people must show responsibility so that we replace the document as soon as possible because such a possibility will no longer exist next month,” stated Eugen Ursu.

He estimated that the number of people who need identity cards is lower than 30,000 as many people went to work abroad and settled there.

Parliament passed the bill to withdraw Soviet-type passports from circulation in May. The law took effect on September 1. Identity cards are issued instead of Soviet-type passports free of charge.