Speaking on 19 October 2004 at the E-Government Forum organised by The Economist in Athens, the Greek Minister of the Interior reaffirmed his commitment to e-government.

Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that reforming the state through e-government is a key goal and a priority for Greece. Combining structural state reforms with the adoption of new technologies should allow the Greek Government to make the country’s public administration more transparent and citizen-focused. Moreover, the reforms are aimed at rationalising procedures, increasing professionalism, and ensuring strict adherence to the legislative framework. Attaining these goals will be a complex task, Mr Pavlopoulos warned.

The Greek Ministry of the Interior is actively engaged in the delivery of e-government projects, including the creation of a data and voice network connecting approximately 2,000 public bodies via the National Public Administration Network. “Additionally, we are promoting the further development of the Citizen Service Centres (KEP), developing information technology infrastructure and introducing contemporary tools in various government organisations”, Mr Pavlopoulos said.

The Minister stressed that, in addition to the introduction of information and communication technologies, effective state reform requires the Government to simplify procedures. In this respect, the fight against red tape is well on its way: “With the passing of law 3242/2004 and the adoption of a series of anti-bureaucratic measures, administrative procedures will be simplified and redesigned in order to meet the needs of citizens qualitatively and effectively", he said.

© European Communities 2004
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Further information:

• Article by the Athens News Agency
• More information on The Economist’s E-Government Forum

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