Let’s celebrate — and let’s do it with joy. As someone once said, joy is the secret to longevity. In politics, it might even be the secret to re-election. Who knows? But we should certainly rejoice in what we’ve built.
A Milestone Worth Remembering
This recent event marking six years of gov.gr left me puzzled — not because it wasn’t worthwhile, but because it overshadowed a far older, foundational initiative: opengov.gr. In fact, opengov.gr is about to turn 17 — a milestone that deserves attention. Launched in October 2009 by the PASOK government led by George A. Papandreou, it was a pioneering effort in open government: an early national platform designed to strengthen transparency, public consultation, and meritocracy in the Greek public administration.
Greece’s First National Platform for Public Consultation
At the time, opengov.gr stood as Greece’s first official national platform for open public consultation. Its launch marked a significant step toward digital governance — one that has since evolved, expanded, and inspired further reforms. While subsequent governments have built upon it, digitisation has dramatically transformed citizens’ interactions with the state, easing millions of transactions. Yet there remains a wide gap between maintaining such a legacy and truly owning and advancing it.
Recognition doesn’t require grand gestures. A simple acknowledgment — that someone else had the idea, laid the first stone — is enough. Perhaps even inviting that person to the stage. The celebration would remain just as meaningful.