Doctors from Bashkortostan suggested couples planning to get married provide the registry office with proof of their genetic compatibility, as reported by RBC on February 7. The head of the Republic’s Ministry of Labor called this 'fascism.'
A group of doctors from Bashkortostan Republic proposed to reject marriage applications from couples who have not provided the registry office with proof of their genetic compatibility. They believe that this measure will contribute to having healthy children.
The head of the State Assembly Health Committee, Salavat Kharasov, wonders whether this would be "a right and ethical thing to do." During the committee meeting, he mentioned that the State Assembly was discussing methods to increase the birth rate and added that there is also "the other side of the matter, specifically children born with illnesses."
The head of the Republic’s Ministry of Labor, Lenara Ivanova, criticized the idea of Bashkortostan doctors.
"It seems like some kind of fascism. It is going a little too far. I understand you though, I too want healthy children to be born, but the thing that you are suggesting is very Sparta-like," said the minister.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russian authorities have been trying to increase the birth rate in the country. Some regions introduced fines for inclining women towards abortions or banned artificial pregnancy termination in private hospitals. Pskov Oblast authorities suggested paying 5,000 rubles to local doctors for discouraging women against abortions. An official from Tatarstan developed the idea of rewarding such doctors with so-called 'Bethlehem certificates.'
