The Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, spoke on Parapolitika 90.1 radio show “On Air,” with journalist Niki Lyberaki, noting that an end is being put to the sale of alcohol and tobacco products to minors. When asked to comment on the cameras expected to be installed on roads, Mr. Papastergiou said: “I have no issue with the cameras being visible and people knowing where they are. The purpose is not for the state to start issuing tickets, the purpose is for citizens to know that cameras exist and if they run a red light, the problem won’t be that a camera will ticket them, the problem is that they will kill someone. So for cameras installed for this purpose, I have no problem with any application or social media platform posting anything about them. We do have an issue with roadblocks for breathalyzer tests, I believe it’s illegal and people shouldn’t be informed where breathalyzer roadblocks are taking place.”
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Dimitris Papastergiou: Cameras will be installed in 2025, starting with some Attica Region cameras
“The camera bill is entering Parliament these days, the tender process is almost complete, it’s not an easy tender, but in any case the cameras that the Attica Region has already completed procedures for will be installed earlier. I think that within 2025 the cameras or some cameras from the Attica Region will be installed. If all goes well, we’re in the final days of objections for the information system tender, so within 2025 I believe we’ll have both the information system and some first cameras from the Attica Region. This system ensures unified ticket management so we get notified on our mobile phones that there’s a ticket issued to us, we can electronically file our objection and if it’s not successful we can easily and quickly pay digitally,” he added.
About the Personal Number
Regarding the Personal Number, Mr. Papastergiou said: “Until November 5th we can choose two of the three digits of our personal number, from November 6th onwards we automatically assign personal numbers. Over 2 million Greeks have obtained a personal number, essentially the personal number issuance rate follows the ID card issuance rate. What’s impressive is that we’ve found over 500,000 errors in these 2 million personal number issuances. Errors in mother’s name, father’s name, birth date, etc.” “The Personal Number simply comes to facilitate our digital life and nothing more,” he added.
Regarding new ID cards, he noted: “Over 2 million ID cards have been issued. At some police stations especially in central Athens there’s now a waiting period, in suburban Attica it’s shorter and certainly in the provinces there isn’t one. It requires a little patience.”
“We need to overcome what platforms say about ‘not knowing the child’s age'”
On underage issues, Mr. Papastergiou noted: “We said we need to overcome what platforms say about ‘not knowing the child’s age’ and come up with an application, the kids wallet, to provide official age verification. If not the exact age, certainly whether they’re above or below 15 or 16 or 12. We implemented this. Europe guided us to a common technical solution which we’ve now almost completed and we’re the first country doing this, but the difficult part is whether platforms will comply. Already yesterday I was reading that both META and GOOGLE are saying ‘let’s discuss it and see.’ The debate is whether we ban it and if we ban it, below what age? Yesterday for example a decision was made in a relevant European committee to completely ban mobile phone use under 13, and I think at least for the social media part it makes sense.”
“By the end of the month we’re launching platforms that will provide the capability and require those selling vaping products, tobacco products and alcohol to verify age digitally as well. Now with both the kids wallet and the regular wallet, you’ll be able to digitally scan age verification. Kids were doing the following: they were deliberately falsifying their ID in the wallet and changing their birth date, this can no longer happen because from the scan, whoever is responsible for selling a product or letting a child into a club will be able to verify age and from there they’re responsible for whether they allow entry or not,” he explained.
Finally, when asked what the state is doing about job losses from artificial intelligence use, he replied: “We need to provide new skills to those of ages that can handle it. These days results are coming out for a €60 million training program where social partners call on their members to train them in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other new IT tools. We really need to take care of those close to retirement age who won’t be able to keep up.”
