Mt. Athos, August 20, 2024
Photo: vimaorthodoxias.gr
The spiritual administration of Holy Mount Athos is concerned about the protection of the personal information of Greek citizens.
Such issues, especially concerning the electronic identification cards that were finally introduced in Greece last year, have been a volatile issue for decades. Holy elders such as St. Paisios have warned about them, and the clergy and the people have rallied against them a number of times over the years, including several rallies leading up to the roll-out of the new IDs this month.
In December, the abbots and brotherhoods of five Athonite monasteries, as well as the abbots and abbesses and their brotherhoods and sisterhoods of dozens of monasteries in Greece issued a statement expressing concern about the mandatory electronic IDs.
Beyond the IDs, Greece’s Council of State approved in July the introduction of a Personal Identification Number, “to simplify interactions between citizens and public services.”
In a letter to the Greek Minister of Digital Governance, the Sacred Community of Mt. Athos, a body consisting of one representative of each of the 20 ruling monasteries of the Holy Mountain, together with the 20 abbots question the need for such a number.
The Sacred Community of Mount Athos, having been informed of the impending issuance of the Personal Identification Number (P.I.N.) for citizens, as described in Law 4727/2020 “On Digital Governance,” wishes to address you through this letter to pose the following critical questions:
The law stipulates that the Personal Identification Number (P.I N.) is mandatorily issued to each natural person and remains unchanged throughout their lifetime. Furthermore, the law and its explanatory report present the main objective of the P.I.N. as facilitating citizens’ transactions with public entities.
Given that there is no similar obligation based on a European directive, we kindly request an explanation of the need for mandatory implementation of this measure in our country. Why is the P.I.N. being made mandatory rather than optional?
We express our serious concern and worry about the protection of citizens’ personal data, given that the Personal Identification Number can link a multitude of personal information in a common system.
How can it be ensured that this data will be securely protected and not violated?
Can the General Secretariat of Public Administration Information Systems (G.S.P.A.I.S.), where according to the law “the P.I.N. registry will be maintained” and “all necessary technical and organizational measures, especially encryption, will be taken,” assure the security of our personal information?
With due respect, requesting the provision of necessary clarifications on your part, we remain with exceptional honor and blessings,
All the Representatives and Abbots of the twenty Holy Monasteries of Mount Athos in the joint Synaxis
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