The slovensko.sk website is currently in a state of emergency, with the Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation (MIRRI) Ministry recording 26 critical outages since last year, Investment Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) stated at a press conference on Tuesday in response to criticism of procurement processes.
Modernisation of the Central Public Administration Information System (UPVS) is thus essential and will be carried out responsibly, transparently and without risk, underlined Migal.
He emphasised that no funds from the state budget are being used for the modernisation. Everything is to be financed through the Recovery Plan, with less than nine months remaining to meet the plan's deadlines. According to Migal, many processes must therefore run in parallel to ensure that the ministry meets its targets. The ministry hasn't yet calculated the total procurement cost.
The Slovak IT Association (ITAS) on Tuesday raised serious concerns regarding the procurement of IT projects announced by the National Agency for Network and Electronic Services (NASES), calling for clear answers about the process.
"We understand that the Recovery Plan programme period is nearing its end and that better use of EU funds could help Slovakia during the fiscal consolidation process. However, drawing EU funds shouldn't take precedence over adherence to standard legal procedures or long-established practices in developing major, unique information systems," ITAS emphasised.
Source: TASR
