Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Philippos Hadjizacharias, revealed that his vision for Cyprus is to become a competitive regional hub, along with a society that is ready for the future and a stronger economy thanks to digital technologies. In his latest interview with Cyprus News Agency, the Deputy Minister stated that projects worth more than €300 million are currently underway.

He mentioned that the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, green lighted his policy proposal to create a “transparency platform”; there, decisions and updates on government projects will be reported on a current basis in order to inform citizens regarding public expenditure. “The Deputy Ministry will prepare a proposal-plan to be submitted to the Council of Ministers”, he added.

In addition, Mr. Hadjizacharias stated that the Deputy Ministry’s goal is the thorough digital transformation of Cyprus and the implementation of the National Digital Strategy. He explained that the National Digital Strategy is based on three interconnected pillars: Government, Society and Economy. Once again, the Deputy Minister highlighted that projects worth over €300 million are currently underway, which will focus on simplifying and expediting operational procedures, improving the citizens’ quality of life and providing training to those who need it. 

Furthermore, the Deputy Minister noted that there are numerous projects currently running, such as the installation of modern information systems in public hospitals, the Registrar of Companies, the Departments of Town Planning and Road Transport, and the Land Registry. Additionally, there were digital infrastructure upgrade projects such as providing internet access throughout Cyprus, including remote areas, and the “Smart Cities” project which was financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan. It is underlined that “Smart Cities” was a €35 million project for the creation of the “Cy Smart City Platform” that included three innovations: smart lighting, smart parking and smart waste management.

Regarding cybersecurity, following recent attacks on the Land Registry and two state universities’ portals, Mr. Hadjizacharias claimed that the Deputy Ministry has proceeded with the implementation of the Security Operations Centre which will operate under the Digital Security Authority (DSA). At the same time, the Deputy Ministry has collaborated with the DSA and the IT Services Department to install sensors in all crucial state infrastructures for round-the-clock monitoring of these systems. It has also trained approximately 10,000 civil servants on cybersecurity issues and has published a Cybersecurity Guide to inform members of the public and businesses on such challenges.

Moreover, Mr. Hadjizacharias noted that cyber-attacks are part of the new global reality, adding that Cyprus is not unprotected, as their goal is to safeguard state structures and ensure operations’ continuity. 

Regarding the addition of more services to GOV.cy, the Deputy Minister admitted that the portal is the “focal point” of the state’s digital transformation and specified that all government websites will be hosted on this platform, upon implementation of the project. Meanwhile, he reminded that GOV.cy will be the digital place where natural and legal persons will receive online services. At a later stage, citizens and businesses will be able to make payments, submit applications and receive certificates through the portal.

On another matter, Mr. Hadjizacharias mentioned that linking officials’ source of wealth declarations with government agencies was necessary to document the accuracy of the information the officials submit.

The Deputy Minister also revealed that the government is working on launching the national digital wallet, which will allow citizens to access their certificates, such as identity card, passport, driver’s license, etc. Furthermore, he mentioned that the Deputy Ministry is working closely with the involved stakeholders in regard to Cyprus’ participation in the EU e-wallet.

In conclusion, Mr. Hadjizacharias announced that together with the Gender Equality Commissioner, Josie Christodoulou, they will work on offering digital skills training to elderly people living in mountainous or remote areas. He also said that there are training programs currently running for members of the public and businesses.