Strategic Council presents first 40 measures for digital decade

Ljubljana – The Strategic Council for Digitalisation presented on Tuesday the first package of measures promoting digitalisation, which the government endorsed at its last week’s session. “These are 40 solutions for the fourth decade of the Slovenian country, which will undoubtedly be a digital one,” said the council’s head Mark Boris Andrijanič.

The Strategic Council, set up in April, has included solutions for the digitalisation of public administration, healthcare, education and economy into the first package.

“We have devoted special attention to aid to vulnerable groups, returning of Slovenian and other IT experts from abroad and the strengthening of cybersecurity,” Andrijanič told the press today.

In public administration and digital society, the council proposed “solutions that will make life easier for citizens and save them a lot of time and nerves in dealing with the state,” he said.

The solutions include an e-construction permit and an e-ID card, a virtual window and abolishing of the car registration certificate.

According to the head of the task force for public administration and digital society, Gregor Macedoni, the whole process of obtaining a construction permit would be digitalised. Citizens could monitor the progress all the time.

A precondition for the introduction of e-ID cards is the electronic commerce act, Macedoni noted.

As for the car registration certificate, he said the document itself would be abolished while all the other processes related to the status of the vehicle would remain place.

Families would benefit from an informative calculation of the family’s income, while all taxpayers would benefit from the so-called tax direct debit for automatic payment of taxes, the council believes.

It also proposes the setting up of a government office for digital transformation to be led by a minister for digital transformation.

In healthcare, the council proposes “using advanced technologies to save lives, save millions in public procurement and cut waiting times”, according to Andrijanič.

The head of the task force for healthcare, Igor Zorko, said primarily the service of e-care at home would be provided to the 5,000 elderly who are the most at risk, the disabled and people suffering from severe chronic diseases.

A telemedical treatment of chronic and cancer patients would be introduced along with a mobile app for easy access to own medical record, doctor’s certificates, and prescriptions. Public procurement procedures in healthcare would become fully electronic.

The solutions for the economy would simplify companies’ deals with the state, encourage the setting up of startups and attract Slovenian IT and other experts from other countries back to Slovenia.

The proposals include e-notary services, a one-stop solution for companies’ reporting to the state, and rewarding employees with shares and options of the company, said the head of the task force for economy and business environment, Mark Pleško.

The council proposes abolishing all administrative procedures related to remote working and the possibility of a video identification for opening bank accounts and working with companies dealing with virtual currencies, and systemic incentives for investments of institutional investors in startups.

In education, the council proposes a digital voucher for obtaining e-skills and introducing computer science and IT as an obligatory subject in primary and secondary schools, said Ajša Vodnik, the head of the task force for education.

The proposed solutions in new technologies and digital diplomacy would “put Slovenia on the international map of technological talents, innovation and investment”, Andrijanič said.

This is why the council proposes Slovenia open a development and economic representative office in the Silicon Valley in the US and an international centre for applicable artificial intelligence in Slovenia.

Marko Grobelnik, the head of the task force for new technologies, highlighted the proposal to set up a platform that would connect different types of public and other types of transport. The task force also proposes upgrading the international cyber security polygon and a special unit of the army reserve that would be specialised in cyber security.

“We are glad that the government endorsed the proposed package of measures at the last session and we strongly hope that the first steps towards the implementation of this package will be made soon,” Andrijanič said.

As for potential reservations by the information commissioner, he said the group was open for dialogue. “But if a solution is possible in Sweden, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, I believe it could also be implemented in Slovenia,” he said.

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