The GovITHub program, an initiative of the previous Ciolos government in Romania, won the Best Innovation through Legislation in CEE award at the Webit international festival, which gathers some of the most important IT events in Europe.

The award recognizes “the most efficient policy decisions that have fostered innovations and entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

The GovITHub program aimed to develop applications and software that the government institutions can use in relationship with citizens and companies, in a move to ease bureaucracy. Twenty IT experts received grants of EUR 2,000 per month for a period of six months to develop these IT solutions. Besides the fellows, some 300 volunteers worked in the program, started in October of last year.

This February, the IT fellows enrolled in the GovITHub program announced they were refusing to work under the coordination of the Grindeanu Government because of the now repealed emergency ordinance bringing changes to the criminal laws.

Some of the projects developed as part of the program included a voting app for Romanians living abroad, an online platform where last year’s voting situation could be tracked in real time, a registry of social services in Romania, and a national system keeping track of the results of newborns’ hearing screenings.

Financial education projects bring Romania the CYFI Country Award at Global Inclusion Awards 2017

editor@romania-insider.com