The training of more than 17,600 elected representatives of the Local Self Government in the new Information & Communication Technologies will promote in the best manner the perspectives that information technology and the Internet offer to the Region.

The Secretary Special for the Information Society, Prof. Vassilis Assimakopoulos announced – within the framework of the 2006-2013 Digital Strategy – the financing of an action amounting to € 7.3 million whose objective is to train the elected representatives of the Local Self Government of the First Degree in the new Information & Communication Technologies. The project will be implemented by the Central Association of Municipalities and Communities (KEDKE) and by the Institute of Local Self Government.

The purpose of the action that is financed by the Special Secretariat for the Information Society is to inform17,616 representatives of the Local Self Government of the First Degree to be elected in the local elections of October 2006 (914 mayors, 120 president of communities, and 16,582 municipal and community consultants) on the developmental benefits and perspectives of information technology and fast Internet and train them on their use.

The training includes two supplementary components:

The first component relates to the familiarization of the elected representatives in the use of computers and broadband Internet. Indicatively, the representatives of the Local Self Government shall get familiarized with the receipt, dispatch and management of electronic mail, the access and navigation in the Internet, the utilization of search engines, the digital monitoring of the flow of administrative procedures, the possibility of conducting digital voting and forums and searching for information from other agencies and services through the Internet, etc. The objective is to create an appropriate digital culture within the human resources of the Local Self Government for the more effective operation of the Municipalities and Communities as well as the more efficient and faster serving of citizens.

The second component of the training relates to the better utilization of information systems and digital services which are implemented by the Municipalities. Already within the framework of the interventions of the 2006-2013 Digital Strategy, the LGO (Local Government Organizations) implement digital services which are serving the citizens and enterprises through the action titled “Digital Self Government” as well as significant projects, i.e. the “Integrated Information System of National Municipal Roll”, the “Information System of the Special Registry Office”, etc. The training of the elected representatives shall be focused on the efficient utilization of these new digital perspectives as well as on the utilization of the infrastructures that are financed by the “Information Society” Programme such as the “Sizefxis”, the Metropolitan Optical Fiber Networks, the Wireless Broadband Local Access Networks, etc.

When announcing the action’s financing, Secretary Special Mr. Assimakopoulos stressed out the following: “The training of more than 17,500 elected representatives of the Local Self Government in the new technologies will promote in the best manner the perspectives offered by the information technology and Internet to the Region. By following the Digital Strategy’s path, we desire to mobilize each local community in utilizing the new digital opportunities and find new, more effective way-outs to development”.