"This year we already initiated four e-government projects based on the e-Europe programme as for the information technology side and, respectively, three projects on the communication side.
Their objectives pursue the realization of social inclusion, increased access to the new technologies and improvement of relations between the citizen and administration", Minister of Communications and Information Technology Zsolt Nagy told Rompres.
"This project can contribute to the digital gap's reduction between rural and urban zones, under conditions in which more than 99 percent of the populations has access to the electricity grid in their own homes," said Minister of Communications, stressing that several companies declared themselves interested in implementing this technology.
Another project was focused on conducting a study as regards the implementation of the warning system through SMS in case of emergency situations.
This system can be used to prevent the effects of some traffic, road or railway blockages, closed access routes following massive snow falls, traffic accidents or natural disasters or in the case of biological dangers (pollution, epidemics, epizooties, irradiation etc.), big fire outbreaks, medical emergencies, disasters or other events that imply supplementary measures of protection and guard.
According to MCTI, this project is in the signing stage of the contract, at present being sent to the Control and Audit Office for its assent.
As well, this year, MCTI has launched a study regarding an operational centre for emergency situations, this being a system that allowsdirect and in real time access of the entire population, through mobile phones, to authorities' warnings, instructions and recommendations in case of emergency situations.
Through the utilization of cell phones, this system can obtain maximum coverage without massive investments and without the need to additionally train the population.
This project is in the stage of contract signing, as well, the assent being given by Calin Tatomir cabinet.
As for the wide band electronic communications' development in Romania, a governmental strategy has been drawn up of WiMAX licences granting, together with IGCTI, this project being aimed at creating conditions for the development of a competitive market, public intervention in the underprivileged zones from the point of view of access to this type of communications, as well as the enhancing of the important role of information society as a decisive factor of social and geographical cohesion.
A permanently available information system for the on-line supply of Romania's local time is already available starting with May 17.
Other MCTI projects and studies are a Virtual Pay-Office, the eCabinet and VPN inter-ministerial project, Visa Online project, extension of the National Electronic System (SEN), extension of the study on the stage of eData public services' digitization and the study for the harmonization of procedures and informational flux at the level of central public administration.
The Virtual Pay-Office is a general portal where citizens can pay their taxes.
Different taxes' payment is to be made through cards and authentication is carried out on the basis of the data associated to the respective card.
The Protocol was signed by MAI, being sent to the Bucharest City Hall for signing and for contracting the payment processing services.
The eCabinet and Inter-ministerial VPN project pursues the extension of Government meetings' digitization, so that the governmental act becomes more efficient and the red tape is diminished.
The system is based on an inter-ministerial network that is going to link all ministries' headquarters to the Government. Government's resolution on the extension of the information system to the Government's meetings is in the course to be approved.
National Electronic System (SEN) extension is focused on supplying, in a transparent and efficient manner, electronic services to citizens and to the business environment. Government's resolution for the extension of services within SEN is now in the working stage.
According to MCTI, through Visa Online Project the ministry wishes to achieve a satellite communications system that would allow the exchange of secure data between embassies, consular offices, economic missions and cultural institutes abroad and the central institutions that coordinate them.
The project is aimed at boosting the quality of services rendered to the citizens by Romania's missions abroad. At present, the Government's Resolution for the implementation of the necessary system of Visa Online functioning is in the course of getting its assent.
Last, but not least, MCTI has launched the extension of the study on eData public services digitization stage. The study involves the institutional framework in the IT&C field, recommendations for the improvement of institutions' role, description of working processes connected to the main IT&C activities, current situation of the digitization projects initiated by MCTI and a section of statistics regarding the current stage of digitization, both for the 20 basic services recommended by the European Commission and for the overall services (identified as being in the number of 614).
In 2005, MCTI initiated 11 pilot projects in IT field, now unfolding.
Quelle/Source: SEEurope, 28.06.2006
