Cyprus will allocate €150.2 million to the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy in 2027, with a further €62 million earmarked for digitisation projects in the budgets of other ministries and deputy ministries.
Presenting the ministry’s budget to the House Finance Committee on Monday, Deputy Minister Nicodemos Damianou said more than 200 new digital services had been introduced over the past two years.
He described the government’s programme as the largest digitisation effort ever undertaken by a Cypriot administration, adding that major information systems were also being delivered to modernise key areas of the public sector.
More than 200 digital services introduced
Among the systems already in operation are the eDEA platform for managing schools, which has processed more than 136,000 student registrations, and the new postal service system, through which more than 300,000 parcels have been handled using the Drop & Send service.
Other projects include the Customs Department’s system, the integrated system of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping and the police’s DigiPol platform.
The latter has issued 21,000 criminal record certificates within a few months.
Other major developments include the first phase of the upgraded iJustice system, the new Social Insurance system and the CY-Alert platform, which provides early warnings and guidance to the public during emergencies.
Damianou said digitisation had already delivered measurable benefits. At the Social Insurance Services, for example, processing times for applications have fallen by between 30% and 70%, depending on the benefit.
He said improvements had also been recorded in services relating to the Civil Registry, social welfare, defence and the Deputy Ministry of Migration.
Digital Citizen app exceeds 170,000 users
The Digital Citizen application now has more than 170,000 users, Damianou said.
New documents have been added, including identity documents for minors and residence documents for foreign nationals. The app also offers automatic notifications when documents are approaching their expiry dates.
The Deputy Minister announced that tickets for football matches are expected to be added within November.
The next development phase will include further digital documents and features of the European Digital Identity Wallet.
A mechanism for age verification is also planned, with the aim of strengthening online protection for minors.
New government systems planned for 2027
The Deputy Ministry’s priorities for next year include projects intended to improve services for citizens and the operation of businesses.
These include a new system for the Department of Road Transport and a new system for the Registrar of Companies, which Damianou described as particularly important for facilitating business activity and attracting investment.
The ministry will also support major government projects planned for 2027 and 2028, including the NG 112 emergency system and the police command and control centre.
Other projects include a system for managing Turkish Cypriot properties and an integrated electronic patient record, which will expand the existing capabilities of the General Healthcare System (GeSY).
More investment in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence
For the third consecutive year, the budget provides dedicated funding for cybersecurity.
Damianou said a common cybersecurity policy framework for the public service was introduced for the first time in 2026. It establishes shared rules, standards and staff training and awareness measures.
In research and innovation, the government will continue investing in research excellence, funding innovative businesses and connecting research with the wider economy.
Artificial intelligence is another key priority. Plans include developing national computing infrastructure and Cyprus’ participation in the European AI Factories network through Pharos-CY.
Damianou said the new National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which runs until 2032, was expected to be approved by the Cabinet this week.
He said the government’s aim was to ensure that investment in technology and innovation translated into better services for citizens, greater public-sector productivity and new opportunities for economic growth.
MPs raise questions over outsourcing and contracts
During the discussion, MPs questioned the Deputy Minister on artificial intelligence, cyberattacks and the digitisation of public services, stressing the need to prevent inconvenience for citizens.
They also raised concerns about the outsourcing of work while the number of employees in established public-sector positions was increasing.
MPs requested that a list of contracts signed since the current administration took office be submitted to Parliament in writing. The list is expected to specify which contracts were awarded directly and which followed open tender procedures.
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