His request for election announcement he repeated president of SYRIZA-PS, Alexis Tsipras, speaking at the Digital Economy Forum organized by the Association of Information Technology and Communications Companies.
Specifically, in his opening remarks at the conference, Mr. Tsipras stated: «Today, the country finds itself caught in a double vise of the pandemic and rising prices. But also trapped by a government that has failed spectacularly in managing the crises that are plaguing us and is unable to inspire even a modicum of trust, which is the most important factor in a time of crisis. Trust is the strongest defense against both the pandemic and inflation. As you know, however, in a democracy there are no dead ends. That is why, during the budget debate, I called for us to move toward the only appropriate democratic solution: elections.’.
The president of SYRIZA then explained that he is now calling for elections «precisely for the reason he had been hesitant to do so in the past: Because, The top priority today is the protection of human life and social cohesion. »There have been and still are ways to protect human life and social cohesion. The government’s continued tenure poses risks.”.
Earlier, Mr. Tsipras had a meeting with the Association’s Board of Directors.
«Digital Transition: An Opportunity to Transform the Production Model with Social Justice and Inclusivity»
The digital sector is a driving force behind the transformation of the production model, which will be based on a high-value-added economy, said SYRIZA-PS President Alexis Tsipras, delivering the opening address at the Digital Economic Forum organized by the Association of Information Technology and Communications Enterprises.
The president of SYRIZA acknowledged that «significant steps have been taken in the area of digital policy over the past two and a half years,» although he added that «I would argue, however, that these steps were built upon the framework and infrastructure that the previous government had taken care to establish, despite the difficult period of fiscal adjustment. This is something that, to his credit, Mr. Pierrakakis himself has publicly acknowledged.» He also noted that In the digital sector, there really was «no desire for revenge» against the projects of the previous government. And I believe the results of this «exception» were positive, in contrast, of course, to the «rule» of revenge that has defined most of the current government’s projects and actions.».
The pandemic served as an accelerator and catalyst, highlighting the importance of the digital transition, Mr. Tsipras, adding that the social and economic system that prevailed in the past—which was characterized by a widening of all kinds of inequalities and led to an erosion of trust in the political system and in democratic values has been shaken, and the need for a change of course is now evident. By way of example, he noted that «within the framework of the OECD, it was decided by an overwhelming majority of member states that the taxation of multinational companies at a minimum tax rate of 15%, in order to increase government revenue. Meanwhile, most countries are raising the minimum and average wages in various ways to counter the effects of inflation.».
He took stock of his own time in office, noting:
- First of all, we established the Ministry of Digital Policy, which developed the National Digital Strategy 2016–2021
We have allocated billions of euros in European funds for digital transformation projects
We have advanced the digital transformation of the public sector, with the most emblematic projects being the Electronic Document Management System (SIDE) and SYZEUXIS II
We streamlined the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) projects, which had been fragmented and ineffective.
We allocated 800 million euros from the Public Investment Program for private investments in the digital technology sector
We increased the budget for research and innovation to 1.2 % of GDP.
The current government boasts that it increased it to 1.5% of GDP in 2020, but that was in a year when GDP fell by nearly 10% compared to 2019.
EU policies that support the digital transition offer a significant opportunity for our country that we must not let slip away, Mr. Tsipras said, adding: «But where do we stand today as a country? The publication on November 12 of the Digital Economy and Society Index, DESI 2021, by the European Commission—which tracks the digital progress of member states—leaves no room for either celebration or complacency. According to the Commission’s report, »Greece ranks third from the bottom (25th out of 27) in the EU on the 2021 DESI overall index for the year 2020, ahead of only Bulgaria and Romania.".
He went on to explain that the country’s lag is a long-standing issue, «but the current government also bears responsibility here, as it is failing on the infrastructure front,” and added: «We have the most expensive internet in Europe—and, what's more, with very slow speeds.". This would certainly have improved if the flagship projects we had launched had moved forward; a prime example is the Broadband Initiative: More than two years have passed, and the Ultra Fast Broadband project is still at the same stage we left it in 2019. A project with a budget of 870 million—a massive PPP investment that would have played a decisive role in reducing our dependence on copper.».
He blamed the government because «it failed to address the issue of inequalities in access to technological equipment and internet connections, since in practice thousands of students who did not have internet access or equipment were excluded from distance learning.”. It failed to effectively address the issue of digital pension payments. For two and a half years now, not only have they failed to solve the problem, but they have quadrupled the number of unresolved issues, dramatically delaying the completion of SYRIZA’s relevant NSRF project. Furthermore, the relevant initiatives, totaling 1.2 billion from the Recovery Fund for digital skills training, were assigned without any consultation to the Ministry of Labor, which will proceed with training programs of dubious quality, even though the scandal involving that very ministry—concerning the «SKOIL ELIKIKOU.».
Mr. Tsipras presented his own «alternative proposal for a fair and inclusive digital transition»:
First, the country should not act merely as a consumer of off-the-shelf digital services and solutions purchased from abroad, thereby increasing trade deficits, but to rely as much as possible on domestic value added.
Second, Priority should be given to the digital government through concrete measures to simplify procedures. In other words, we shouldn’t just digitize bureaucracy. Let me give a simple example to make this clear: It’s unthinkable that after so many months of the pandemic, The country has not invested in a robust and reliable telemedicine network…
Third, we must to tackle digital illiteracy, with policies aimed primarily at helping those who, due to their advanced age and prior experiences, find it more difficult to adapt.
Fourth, we must emphasize the Strengthening Civil Protection, not through publicity stunts but through technological means for monitoring and preventing natural disasters and the extreme phenomena associated with climate change.
Fifth, the digital transition must be comprehensive and decentralized; therefore, we must also emphasize strengthening local government so that they can incorporate new digital tools—such as smart cities—into their policies and everyday life.
Sixth, it is vital that we invest in strengthening digital infrastructure, focusing on: The Expansion of the fiber-optic network to islands and other remote areas in order to provide 100% coverage across Greece. The transition to fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks.
The seventh point concerns the small and medium-sized enterprises.
Small and medium-sized enterprises account for 95% of Greek businesses and require a comprehensive set of measures to support them, focusing on: The Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through specialized financing instruments offered by the Development Bank, with specific incentives for the creation of clusters, synergies, and partnerships.
In closing, he emphasized that the country must seize the challenge of the digital transition as an opportunity to propel the economy forward and, at the same time, harness digital capabilities to promote greater equality, and to ensure that everyone has access to public goods within the welfare state, with dignity and a high standard of quality.
