EUR 125 million to strengthen Greece’s public sector digitalisation

This is the first time the European Investment Bank has signed such an agreement

On 7 January, the European Investment Bank (EIB) revealed that it will promote the digitalisation of Greece’s public sector with EUR 125 million over the next five years. With this financing, the EIB will strengthen the projects of the Greek Digital Governance Ministry to help unlock economic benefits, enhance IT skills, promote further investment, and create a friendly environment for citizens and entrepreneurs.

What kind of projects will the financing support?

Under the agreement, the EIB will support developments that will upgrade the state’s digital infrastructure and, in turn, benefit the public in both immediate as well as indirect ways. According to a press release, the supported schemes and plans will be divided into two categories.

The first category will reportedly include the digitalisation of public health services and projects such as “Wi-Fi GR”, which will create 3,000 hotspots across the country. The second category will include other schemes, such as the development of teleconferencing networks in courts and prisons. 

Minister of Finance and EIB Governor, Christos Staikouras, commented on the agreement, revealing that it aims to promote the digital transformation of public services in several sectors, including public health, social security, justice, transport, communications, and media. 

First agreement of its kind

It is important to note that this is the first time the EIB has signed such an agreement. EIB Vice President for Greece, Christian Kettel Thomsen, expanded on this:

“This project represents the first time that the European Investment Bank has supported public sector digitalisation anywhere in Europe, indeed around the world, in a dedicated and targeted programme. Our technical colleagues have learnt key lessons from joint preparations and due diligence that will be shared to strengthen implementation of similar schemes elsewhere in Europe.”

According to the Greek Minister of State and Digital Governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the agreement is “doubly important” as it both supports important digital projects and reflects the trust in Greece’s digital transformation.