Six civil society organizations sent, on Thursday, to the Presidential Administration an 'appeal for the digital transformation of Romania' and showed their willingness to actively contribute, with all the expertise of the teams, to the transposition of strategic objectives into reality and to rebuilding the trust of Romanians in the state.

The signatories of the document are: Edge Institute, the Employers' Association of the Software and Services Industry (ANIS), the Romanian Association of Online Stores (ARMO), the Employers' Confederation Concordia, Leaders in Tech (LiT) and Romanian Business Leaders (RBL).

'Romania needs a clear strategic direction in the process of digitizing the state and the entire Romanian society. On behalf of six business and civil society organizations, we address this call for action, vision and cooperation so that digital transformation becomes a real priority, assumed and supported at the highest level of the state. Romania's digital transformation is no longer just an option, but a necessity. Citizens are wasting time, companies are losing opportunities, and the state is losing trust. In a world where technology shapes everything - from global markets to the daily habits of citizens - Romania has a unique chance to build a strong democracy, anchored in the digital reality of the 21st century. With over 25 million Romanians in the country and in the diaspora - a population larger than that of Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovakia or of each country in the Balkans - Romania has the potential to become a regional pole of innovation and excellence, in a digital world. If data is decisive in the technologies of the present and the future, then Romania has a strategic resource that it can transform into real economic value and quality public services', the letter of the professional organizations reads.

The representatives of the six signatory organizations support the creation of a presidential advisor position for Digital Transformation, as well as a Presidential Council for Digital Transformation, 'which would function as a space for articulation between the state and actors from the private sector and civil society'.

It would also be necessary to establish a Diplomatic Network for Digital Transformation, consisting of diplomatic and consular personnel posted in key European and global capitals, to integrate digital priorities into diplomatic action, and facilitate the adoption of good practices from host countries, prioritizing the identification of emerging technologies applicable to Romanian public services.

Other requests from civil society refer to: a reform of the governance of digital transformation within the Government, with the objective of clearly delimiting the attributions and responsibilities, providing them with the necessary legitimacy for inter-ministerial coordination in the field, but also the initiation of a National Pact for the Digitalization of Romania, signed by political parties, central and local public administration and civil society, to ensure continuity and a coherent implementation framework.

Added to these are the digitalization of tax authority (ANAF) and the fight against large-scale tax evasion, digitalization of the health system, correlation of education with the labor market, reduction of the duration of processes and streamlining of consular services. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Badea; EN - writing by: Bogdan Gabaroi)