Digital gaps in government coordination hurt progress

The story of the so-called "digital levy" (the new 2-6 percent tax on cell phones, tablets, computers etc) has highlighted the complete lack of any official strategy to help the digital technology sector to grow.

By blindly imposing a third-party levy - with no scientific approach to the issue - the government has opened a can of worms. Even Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas appeared concerned - days after signing the amendment for its introduction he has asked for a review.

This is not the first time the government has displayed a lack of coordination in its actions in sectors vital to the country's digital transformation. Interior Minister Panos Skourletis recently countered Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, no less, regarding the development of major information technology projects. When Tsipras addressed a conference of the Federation of Hellenic Information...

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