In a landmark event marking six years since the launch of the Gov.gr platform, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described a Greece that bears no resemblance to the bureaucratic stagnation of the past. What began as a necessity amidst a global pandemic has evolved into the central pillar of the country's modernization, transforming Gov.gr from a simple service portal into a symbol of a new relationship of trust between the state and its citizens.
From the 'Queue' to the Digital Inbox: A Six-Year Journey
The journey of Gov.gr began in March 2020 with just 501 digital services. Today, six years later, this number has exceeded 1,800, covering almost every aspect of daily life: from issuing authorizations and statutory declarations to digital property transfers and the MyHealth app. The Prime Minister emphasized that success is not measured only in numbers, but in the millions of hours citizens have saved by avoiding physical counters.
The digitization of the state has acted as a catalyst for social equality. As noted, technology is the great "equalizer," allowing a resident of a remote island to have the same access to state services as a resident of Athens. The Digital Wallet was the next major milestone, integrating IDs and driver's licenses into mobile phones—a move that placed Greece at the forefront of the European Union's digital transition.
Entering the Era of Artificial Intelligence: mAIGov
The next major chapter, according to Mr. Mitsotakis, is the full integration of Artificial Intelligence into public administration. The digital assistant mAIGov, which is already in pilot operation, represents the first application of Generative AI in a public entity in Europe. The goal is for citizens to no longer need to search for the right service themselves, but to interact with the state in natural language, receiving immediate answers and guidance.
- Automation of bureaucratic processes through AI.
- Proactive notification of citizens regarding document expirations or benefit eligibility.
- Improving the speed of justice through the digitization of records and legal precedent searching.
- Enhancing cybersecurity to protect personal data.
The Prime Minister stressed that Artificial Intelligence will not replace public servants but will relieve them of low-value repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on substantive citizen service.
Challenges and the 2030 Bet
Despite the progress, the government acknowledges that "islands" of bureaucracy still exist. The full digitization of Justice, the Land Registry (Ktimatologio), and the Health system remain the major challenges of the next four years. The goal for 2030 is a 100% digital state, where paper is a distant memory and all interactions are digital "by default."
"Technology is not an end in itself; it is the means to make people's lives easier and the state fairer," the Prime Minister stated.
Funding from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) serves as the "fuel" for this transformation. With projects worth billions of euros underway, Greece seeks to make up for decades of lost ground and establish itself as a digital hub in Southeast Europe. The challenge is now shifting from the mere provision of services to their quality and security, ensuring that no citizen, regardless of age or digital skills, is left behind.
