Prague – People with knowledge of information technology (IT), for example, could receive more money in the state administration in the future. In an interview with ČTK, Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization and Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Piráti) said that he and the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL), opened up discussions on the possible transformation of tabular salaries of important professions.
Advertisement'; }
“This debate will be on the table in the near future. The ministers feel that they need to have experts in the department. They can be found externally, but that is expensive and the state lacks the know-how. We have great lawyers, but it is not enough just to bring the matter into line with by law, you also need content. The state does not have a lot of the necessary competences, because a young person will start for a very low salary,” Bartoš said.
The Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization needs to get experts, as the state plans to launch, for example, a digital wallet at the turn of the year, the so-called eDokladovka, and the Builder's Portal. At the same time, he is working on the eTurista tourism project, which should be launched by the end of 2025.
Bartoš said that currently the ministries have to negotiate an exception so that they can pay capable people. That is why, according to him, it is necessary to look at the table salaries for the transformation of important professions, which are experts with knowledge of modern technologies and IT at the resorts, so that we can adequately value the people the state needs and do not end up in the private sector, said Bartoš.
Last summer, information from companies revealed that there is a shortage of around 20,000 IT professionals in the Czech Republic, and the demand for programmers, developers and other IT professions is high. The salary in this field can range from 60,000 to 120,000 crowns in Prague. Bartoš stated on social networks that IT experts in the state administration have a 40 percent lower salary than in the private sector.
Working in the newly created Digital Information Agency (DIA) should become a prestigious position, according to Bartoš. He would like it if it were attractive to young graduates like, for example, in England, where graduates go to hand over part of their acquired education after studying in the state. “They gain experience and spurs, and only then are they valued employees of the private sector,” added Bartoš.
DIA, which will take over from the Ministry of the Interior in April, among other things, the Administration of Basic Registers, as well as Czech Points or the Citizen's Portal, has an estimated cost of CZK 1.8 billion for this year. Bartoš stated that part of the employees of the Ministry of the Interior is transferred to the DIA, so related budgets are also transferred there from the interior. The investment of the state budget is roughly 150 million extra, he added.
The DIA Bartoš also expects the correct listing of contracts, as the ministries that have such tasks do not always have the competence and knowledge to formulate assignments for external suppliers. “One of the biggest nightmares, where we lose companies willing to supply to the state, is the length of tendering procedures. The goal of DIA is for the state to collect these competencies lost along the way,” said Bartoš.
The question is the amount of investment in individual digital platforms. For example, the previous government estimated the cost of Portal stavebnika at around 1.6 billion crowns. “It's a big project, but I think we're not talking about billions, but hundreds of millions in complexity,” said Bartoš.
