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Lack of Transparency in 'Digital Citizen' Contract Cost, Audit Finds

Published February 24, 2026, 09:18
Lack of Transparency in 'Digital Citizen' Contract Cost, Audit Finds

The Audit Office has identified a lack of transparency and documented cost justification in the awarding of the contract for the 'Digital Citizen'. The total cost of the contract amounts to €1.7 million, with €1.5 million coming from Cyprus for application development and €200,000 from Greece for the integration of electronic signatures into the 'gov.gr wallet'. However, there was no cost estimate or detailed costing for the €1.5 million amount at the time of signing the contract. The Deputy Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works states that the implementation process ensures transparency and competition through tenders, and there is a mechanism for refunding funds in case of lower costs. Nevertheless, the Audit Office believes that the lack of prior cost estimation and documentation remains a problem, creating difficulties in assessing the economic benefit for Cyprus. The lack of information regarding the cost of developing the 'gov.gr wallet' in Greece also makes it difficult to evaluate the real economic benefit.