Russian DNA

From the MT:
"Agency Proposes Taking DNA Samples From Foreigners"

The Federal Migration Service has proposed taking DNA samples from foreign workers coming to Russia, Konstantin Romodanovsky, head of the service, said Tuesday at a meeting of the Federation Council. He also said that the agency had received more than 3 million sets of fingerprints from foreign workers in 2013 and  700,000 since the beginning of this year, RIA Novosti reported.

Mandatory fingerprints for immigrant workers were introduced in January 2013, and the migration service recently announced plans to expand the program to workers' family members aged 12 or older. Russian citizens' passports for foreign travel with fingerprint data were also tested by the FMS in major cities during 2013 and will be issued on a mass scale for those looking to cross their countries' borders. Romodanovsky said that last year about 17.7 million foreigners visited Russia, with about three quarters coming from Commonwealth of Independent States countries and 13 percent coming from the European Union. The number of foreigners visiting Russia has climbed 40 percent in the last four years, he said. The DNA sample proposal comes amid other restrictions largely aimed at immigrant workers from Central Asia, such as a recently passed law requiring residency applicants to prove their knowledge of Russian history, Russian language and the fundamentals of Russian law, though exceptions will be made for highly qualified specialists, their families and students. Romodanovsky said Tuesday that 10.9 million foreign citizens are currently in Russia, including tourists and students.

^ I'm not sure how Russia is collecting these DNA samples. It is one thing to get your finger prints taken (I'm sure they still use ink and not the inkless method) and another for DNA. Although I don't agree with the EU or any country/organization that keeps large databases of their citizens' fingerprints and other data when those citizens haven't done a crime. I'm glad Canada and the US don't do that. Russia isn't known for using the most hygienic means to collect samples of any kind. I know many Russians who say that when they get stopped by the GAI (the Russian traffic police - I know the acronym is funny considering Russia's anti-homosexual laws) and rather than give a blood sample by a dirty needle or blowing into a dirty breathalyzer simply give the GAI police a bribe and go on their way. I would be cautious to give anything (ie blood, saliva, etc) to anyone - official or not - if the device used was dirty. I don't have an issue with the Russians making people who want to come work and live in Russia to prove they know Russian history, (although there is a difference to what a Russian learns of their own history - especially the Soviet and post Soviet times - and what the rest of the world learns) Russian law and Russian language. ^

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/agency-proposes-taking-dna-samples-from-foreigners/499186.html