"It's not Covid passport": Serbia prepares digital vaccination certificate, what do we know about it

Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Tatjana Matic says that Serbia has already prepared digital certificates about somebody's vaccination status, which will enable easier movement and travel abroad.

Matic told RTS that a digital certificate is not a Covid passport.

"That's a different kind of document. The EU withdrew from that, because it also contained the number of  the passport, some data that had no place to be in there. The digital certificate says when you have been vaccinated or have had Covid, or have done a negative PCR test," stressed the minister of trade, tourism and telecommunications.

According to her, the EU will provide more precise information regarding the appearance and manner of issuing of the certificate in a week.

"This will have to be implemented through the healthcare system that gives a certificate of vaccination, whether somebody has had the disease, it must be imported into the system," Matic emphasizes.

She said that Serbia has already prepared digital certificates, and many countries are interested in negotiations, including Greece, Israel and Slovenia.

One of the options, she said, is that the digital certificate should be a mobile phone application, while checks and authentications must be passed. There will be more options, she added.

To Turkey without PCR test, negotiations underway with Greece

The minister stressed that negotiations on mutual recognition of digital vaccination certificates are under way with the Greek Ministry of Tourism.

She added that the Greek minister announced a visit to Serbia for the end of March or the beginning of April.

Matic points out that the fact that the Greeks are preparing for the season and counting on our tourists is encouraging.

"I think it's very important for our citizens to understand that the key to free movement and travel is mass and fast vaccination. The fact that Serbia is a leader in Europe in terms of vaccination, gives us a role and position that allows us to negotiate conditions of travel, but that is not enough, mass vaccination must continue," Matic points out.

She added that, if Serbia is put on the red list and does not have a good epidemic situation, everything that is being negotiated will be called into question.

The minister of tourism said that people will be able to travel to Turkey without the PCR test.

(Telegraf.rs)