In Romania, the pace of transition to digital public services is „still slow”, and public authorities should take concrete and quick steps in this regard, President Klaus Iohannis said on Thursday in a message sent to the participants in the 11th edition of GoTech World, the largest IT & Digital event in Central and Eastern Europe taking place in Bucharest November 3 – 4, according to Agerpres.

In the message delivered by presidential advisor Cosmin Marinescu, President Iohannis said that „Debates on increasing digital skills, reconciling technological progress with individual rights and freedoms or cyberspace security should take place more often and in formats as extensive as possible. Romania’s public sector is still lagging behind in terms of integrating technological advances. The pace of transition to digital public services, so necessary for the modernization of the relationship between the state and citizens, is still slow. Therefore, public authorities should not only pursue ambitious policies, but also take concrete and quick steps to achieve these goals.”

Iohannis notes that, in today’s world, digital transformation has become an essential priority for increasingly more nations, and Romania is moving with ambitious steps towards the digital economy and society.

According to the head of state, the IT&C industry has registered a „spectacular” dynamic in the last decade, with double-digit increases almost every year, thus contributing significantly to the technological advance of the Romanian economy.

„The progress in terms of connectivity, the dynamics of the dedicated entrepreneurial sector, as well as the highly specialized human resource have generated definite competitive advantages for Romania, which are key for attracting investments and diversifying business opportunities,” President Iohannis said.

„The contribution of the IT&C field to economic performance and increasing competitiveness is undeniable, not only in Romania, but all over the world. Ultimately, the digital sector was the bridge to the ‘new normal’ during the pandemic and is the engine of the fourth industrial revolution. Let us not forget, however, that a durable, sustainable digital transition means much more than the performance of an economic sector. The transition to the digital future is important, but how we get there and what is left behind is equally important. In the natural evolution towards a competitive, smart, inclusive and connected economy, we need increased efforts to reduce regional gaps and disparities and to facilitate everybody’s access to the Internet, digital services, telecommunications. Facilities such as smart vehicles, digital healthcare, education and smart cities or virtual spaces for communication and free connection must not be the attributes of only the so-called development poles,” the head of the state emphasized.

Agerpres