Another Step Towards a 100% Digital Society: The New Identity Card with Qualified Electronic Signature Launched
Today, the new identity card for citizens of the Republic of Moldova, which includes an electronic signature, was officially presented. This innovative element represents a significant step in the modernization of public services in the country and alignment with European standards. The event, organized by the Public Services Agency, brought together high-ranking officials, including the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, members of the Government, Parliament, and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in the Republic of Moldova.
"This document represents a joint effort of several public institutions and opens new opportunities in the interaction between the state and citizens. In drafting the document, we were guided by three mandatory European regulations concerning the identity card, residence card, and electronic identity. The Republic of Moldova has not updated its identity card for more than 11 years. The new document contains 30 state-of-the-art security elements that ensure the integrity of the document. We announce that the first million identity cards will be issued free of charge to citizens," emphasized Mircea Eșanu, Director of the Public Services Agency.
Nicoleta Colomeeț, Director of the E-Governance Agency (MEGA), spoke at the event about the importance of digitalization for a modern, efficient, and citizen-friendly state. She highlighted the progress made in digitalizing services, which allows citizens to access more services from the comfort of their homes, noting that MEGA's digitalization efforts are centered on people and trust.
"Digitalization is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity for a modern, connected, and efficient state. Today, thanks to the efforts of MEGA and our partners, both within and outside the Government, more and more public services are just a few clicks away. Specifically, 303 out of the 648 services in Moldova are available in the Public Services module in EVO or on servicii.gov.md. Access to the vast majority of them is possible thanks to a simple yet powerful technology: the electronic signature, the gateway to electronic identity. At the agency, we firmly believe that access to electronic identity is not a luxury, it is a right," emphasized Nicoleta Colomeeț, Director of MEGA.
In the last two years alone, thanks to digitalization, citizens have:
- Applied over 99 million electronic signatures through MSign;
Since 2024, over 60,000 citizens have electronic versions of their documents directly on their phones, in the EVO application.
"At MEGA, we continue to innovate and offer more services to citizens, as well as more tools to accelerate the digitalization process of institutions. We do this with EVOSign, which allows everyone with an electronic signature to easily authenticate on platforms. We do this with the digital documents module in EVO, which we are actively working to align with European standards and contribute to the development of the European identity wallet," emphasized Nicoleta Colomeeț.
MEGA will continue to support and promote the digitalization of public services to transform the relationship between citizens and the state.
In the first eight days of opening appointments, over 22,000 applications for the new identity cards were submitted.
President Maia Sandu is the first citizen to receive a new type of identity card. The document was handed to her by the Director of PSA during the launch event.
The PSA Director mentioned that the only element we do not meet is the European Union flag, and President Maia Sandu responded that we need to resolve this issue as soon as possible, hoping that, with the advancement of the European path, the EU flag will appear on the new identity card.
The launch of the new identity card with an electronic signature underscores the authorities' commitment to enhancing the efficiency and security of public services, while facilitating citizens' access to modern digital solutions.
