Health crisis prompts digital strides in Greece

"The 13033 hotline was set up in just 15 hours," Digital Governance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis told Kathimerini, describing his ministry's race last month to get everything in place over the space of just one weekend as the government announced restrictions on public movement that went into effect on Monday, March 23. He was referring to the special number where citizens and residents now have to send a text message for permission for specific categories of outings, such as visiting a doctor, a supermarket or a person in need of assistance.

"We're not monitoring citizens, storing data or keeping records. Many countries are focusing on surveillance, on monitoring people's behavior, while we aim only at providing a service," he said, explaining that his ministry acted on the instructions of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis when designing the hotline.

While the...