As fake certificates are becoming an urgent issue, Ukraine’s health minister addressed it in a briefing Friday.

‘People who bought forged certificates are in a difficult situation today. On the one hand, unvaccinated people are at high risk, and on the other hand, they cannot defend themselves because, having purchased a forged document, they have deprived themselves of the right to be vaccinated against COVID-19’, Liashko stated.

The electronic health care system treats such people as already vaccinated, so medical personnel refuse to vaccinate them for the ‘second’ time.

‘We want to resolve this situation and free from criminal persecution those who bought a forged COVID document. However, in order to avoid punishment, these people must voluntarily confess to the crime and actively assist in investigating it’, said the minister.

Liashko told what needs to be done in such cases:

• address a family doctor or vaccination center;
• a doctor or vaccination center employee calls the police;
• police open criminal proceedings in which a person who bought a forged vaccination certificate becomes a participant in it and must testify about the source of the forged document and facilitate investigation.

Later, prosecutors and court free such people from charges.

Liashko also noted that the Verkhovna Rada is considering a bill ‘On amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine to establish liability for forgery of documents relating to preventive vaccinations’.

The minister explained that the bill provides for criminal persecution for forgery of vaccination documents.