Romania's government cloud will provide citizens with access to over 30 public services by the end of this year, Minister of Economy, Digitisation, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Bogdan Ivan announced at the Digital Innovation Summit Bucharest (DISB) 2025 on Thursday.

'The way we aim to build a smart government and smart administration depends on this technology. In the last year and a half, since December last year, we already have a government cloud with one of the most advanced technologies in the world. By the end of 2025, more than 30 public services will be available within this cloud. This will be the most significant step in reshaping how the Romanian government operates for its citizens. It is not the effort of one person, one ministry, one institution, Parliament or the Government alone. The most important factor is the collective will, along with shared resources, experience from many of you here, and openness to work with our neighbours, powerful allies across the ocean, in Europe, the Middle East, or countries like Singapore. What matters most is that we come together - actors from different sectors - to think and shape how our country and technology can influence the future,' the minister pointed out.

According to him, technological progress presents opportunities for smart companies and nations to become leaders in the area.

'We are talking about the future, and we must understand that the future can evolve in two ways. One option is to wait and see what others do and follow them - to be followers. This morning's meeting with the Institute for Research in Informatics and Mr. Vevera (Adrian-Victor Vevera, Director General of ICI Bucharest, editor's note) is a great example of why we should sit at the same table with leaders from both the private and public sectors and design, together, how we want to shape the future. Clearly, we all know that during this period - especially in the past two months - the entire economic and technological landscape has opened a huge window of opportunity for smart companies and smart nations to become leaders. In this new context, the only true advantage - the most important technology - is undoubtedly digitisation. If we want to reconfigure our governments and make them more flexible and productive, we must use technology, and blockchain is one of those technologies,' Ivan said.

In the minister's view, the economy can become more productive as we enter this new era of technology and digital transformation.

'Certainly, when we talk about artificial intelligence, society has both concerns and excitement. I am convinced that when we speak of economic development, only by using technology can we anticipate and shape how our economies become more productive, and how economists adapt better to the new era of technology and digitisation,' Bogdan Ivan showed.

This week (April 8-11), ICI Bucharest is organising a new edition of the Digital Innovation Summit Bucharest (DISB) at the Palace of Parliament. This year's event brings together over 200 speakers from more than 30 countries.

The summit agenda features five key conferences: the 8th edition of the Forum for the Critical Infrastructures Protection (CIP Forum), the 4th International Conference on Cyber Diplomacy (ICCD), the 20th International Conference on Virtual Learning (ICVL), the 23rd National Conference on Virtual Education (CNIV) and the first-ever Blockchain Intelligence Forum. In addition to these events, DISB 2025 will also host the Annual Assembly of Eurodefence (RIE) AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Badea; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)