In the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who spoke on “The State of 2030,” the Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence organized the event “6 Years of gov.gr: Click and Done! Simpler, More Digital, More Effective with CRM" at Technopolis in the Municipality of Athens. During his speech, the Prime Minister sent an indirect message regarding the timing of the elections.
Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, cited figures demonstrating the effectiveness of gov.gr and the benefits it brings to citizens and businesses, as well as the work of the CRM.
The Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, delivered a speech titled “A Digital Revolution with a Greek Signature,” while Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis spoke on the topic “European Funds as a Catalyst for Digital Transformation.”
State Ministers Akis Skertsos and Theodoros Livaniou discussed “The Public Sector We Want.” The Secretary General for Information Systems and Digital Governance, Demosthenes Anagnostopoulos, presented the unified CRM, the Unified Digital Infrastructure for Serving Citizens and Businesses, a project being implemented as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0,” with funding from the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
During his speech, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis noted: “We have every reason to be very satisfied with the progress we have achieved over the past six years. And I believe that citizens, regardless of their political views or party affiliations, recognize in gov.gr a major digital leap forward that has taken place in our country—one that is, I must say, far greater than the digital leaps made by many other countries in the European Union.
The Prime Minister then also referred to the upcoming elections:
“And of course, artificial intelligence also opens up opportunities for significant additional cost savings. This is an area that interests me greatly, and I have asked the relevant ministers to begin preparing our initiatives in this direction immediately. This concerns, for example, the field of public procurement and how artificial intelligence can streamline procedures, thereby enabling us, as a state, to purchase the appropriate services and products at the most reasonable price.
I believe there is enormous potential not only for saving resources but also for further streamlining procedures that will promote transparency in this sector.
Consequently, looking ahead to 2027, —Mr. Papachlimintzos, ChatGPT correctly answered regarding the timing of the elections—and regarding our government program, as it will be presented by New Democracy to once again earn the trust of citizens, I would once again highlight technology as a major force for further change and transformation of the state and the way in which the state ultimately communicates with citizens.
Always, of course, prioritizing respect and dignity as core values that must guide all our policies.
In closing, having spoken at length about technology, I cannot fail to make a special mention of the people at the Ministry of Digital Governance and all the agencies under its supervision, without whom everything we have presented today could not have been put into practice.
I want to say a heartfelt thank you. I also want to emphasize that regardless of the support we received—and it was significant—from private-sector companies, none of what we presented to you today could have been realized without a close-knit core of dedicated people who believed—and continue to believe—in the power of technology to fundamentally transform the state.
And I believe that one of the goals we must set for the future is not only the systems, their streamlining, and upgrading them, but also to create an ever-expanding core of public servants who will be able to support and develop these systems without necessarily needing outside help.
In our own office, the Prime Minister’s Office, we currently have a small team of young people who are helping us develop artificial intelligence applications.
In a state, therefore, that is truly sovereign and retains the ability to develop such systems on its own, without necessarily requiring external assistance, this should be a central objective. And this, of course, my dear Minister, means further strengthening your ministry.
So, let me conclude by repeating what the founder of gov.gr, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, said: in response to the claim that “these things don’t happen in Greece,” let’s drop the “don’t.” These things do happen in Greece, and they have happened. Citizens are very satisfied that they are happening, and of course, much more can be done in the future.
Happy anniversary, Gov.gr."
Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, noted: “Six years ago, when gov.gr was launched, few could have imagined how much it would change citizens’ daily lives. Today, the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis can present measurable results. More than 9 million citizens have used gov.gr, while over 5.5 million documents and declarations were issued in the last month alone.
The first comprehensive assessment of services by the National Audit Office shows an annual benefit of 312 million euros for citizens, businesses, and the public administration, a reduction in service time of up to 97%, and more than 19 million trips that were avoided. And we’re not stopping here. With the government’s new CRM, we’re moving on to the next phase of the digital state, where citizens will be able to see in real time what stage their case is at, which agency is handling it, and when it’s expected to be completed.
Because the success of gov.gr is not measured solely by the digital services that have been added. It is measured by the lines that have been avoided, the time citizens have saved, and a new relationship of trust between the citizen and the state.”
Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance and President of the Eurogroup, looked back on how the foundations of gov.gr were laid, noting that this digital leap is the clearest proof that Greece has decided to change:
“Citizens have begun to take it for granted that a public service can be initiated and completed via a mobile phone. They have begun to assume that the state is fast, efficient, and respects their time. And when a society’s expectations change, so do its possibilities. This is perhaps the most important thing we have gained.
A new collective self-confidence. Gov.gr is more than just a successful digital reform. It is proof that Greece is not doomed to repeat its weaknesses, but to turn them into strengths.”
Interior Minister Theodoros Livaniou referred to the modern multi-channel model of customer service and the need to serve citizens even in the most remote areas of the country, saying: “The public sector we envision is embodied in an effective state, one that is transparent and close to the citizen. A state that leverages technology to streamline procedures, reduce bureaucracy, and provide better services everywhere—from major urban centers to the most remote villages and islands.
With a Public Administration that is constantly modernizing and a Local Government that is growing stronger with every step, we are building a relationship of trust with citizens, improving the daily lives and quality of life for everyone.”
Minister of State Akis Skertsos, in turn, emphasized: “Gov.gr, with its 2,257 digital services and applications, has changed and continues to change the face of public administration on a daily basis over the past six years. It has made life easier for citizens and businesses and has significantly simplified our interaction with essential frontline public services related to Health & Welfare, the Family, the Citizen & Daily Life, Work & Social Security, Entrepreneurship, and Justice.
However, for a country with Greece’s characteristics and structural problems, as well as the new emerging threats and crises the entire world faces in the realm of security, the goal is not merely the simplification and digitization of government services. The goal is to harness the exponential computing power of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to resolve our country’s long-standing systemic issues.
And at the same time, to strengthen our resilience as a society and a state in the face of pressures from the climate crisis, uncontrolled migration flows, cybercrime, and international terrorism. With investments through the Recovery Fund, the digital strides made to date will become leaps in the coming years, allowing us to truly catch up with the most digitally mature countries in Western Europe.”
For his part, Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance Nikos Papathanasis emphasized that gov.gr is not merely a technological innovation, but a central priority of the Mitsotakis government. “gov.gr is the most visible expression of a new vision of the state that serves, facilitates, respects citizens’ time, and supports the daily operations of businesses. It is telling that the time required to complete procedures has been reduced by 88% for citizens and businesses and by up to 97% for the Public Administration.
At the same time, approximately 19.1 million trips are avoided each year. And with the new project of the Unified Infrastructure for Serving Citizens and Businesses, the CRM, we are taking the next step: from service delivery, we are moving toward a more personalized, more direct, and more effective service for citizens and businesses. This is precisely the essence of the digital transformation being implemented today through dozens of initiatives, thanks to national and European funds, and especially the Recovery and Resilience Facility.”
Demosthenes Anagnostopoulos, Secretary General for Information Systems and Digital Governance, spoke about the leaps forward, with a focus on the citizen: “In recent years, we have taken many steps forward. Citizens have learned to access services quickly and securely through gov.gr. Now we are moving on to the next major step. The government must operate in a unified manner, keep track of citizens’ cases, and serve them through multiple communication channels, depending on their technological capabilities. It must respond consistently and quickly. The Unified CRM is a landmark project because it brings this new approach to the heart of public administration. And the key to its success lies in achieving this unified management of every case, every citizen, by every agency.”
gov.gr by the numbers
gov.gr already offers over 2,257 digital services, has served more than 9 million citizens, and has issued more than 431 million documents and certificates. According to data from the National Documentation Center, the simplification and digitization of twenty (out of the 2,255+) gov.gr procedures leads to estimated annual cost savings of 312 million euros, while the time required to complete procedures has been reduced by 88% for citizens and businesses and by up to 97% for the Public Administration. Furthermore, significant environmental benefits have been recorded, with approximately 19.1 million trips avoided annually, saving over 62.5 million sheets of paper and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 33,000 tons.
The CRM Project
CRM is an evolution of gov.gr, designed to upgrade services for citizens and businesses. Every request or case will now be tracked in a unified manner, regardless of whether it was initiated through gov.gr, the KEPs, or a call center. Requests, inquiries, and cases will be consolidated into a single environment, allowing public services to respond more quickly, effectively, and consistently. The benefits are clearly manifold: less bureaucracy, faster case processing, better service quality, greater transparency, more efficient use of public resources, and enhanced government productivity.
For citizens, the new infrastructure means less hassle and more personalized information. For businesses, it means simpler procedures and faster service. For the Public Administration, it means better coordination and improved quality of services provided.