"This law will help to bring about the changes that will enable the creation of a sustainable and resilient hybrid state information technology infrastructure, thereby also strengthening national security. It will also ensure the development of digitalisation, facilitate the achievement of the planned results of digital transformation and enable the rational use of the state budget funds allocated to this area," said Aušrinė Armonaitė, Minister of the Economy and Innovation.
The law sets out objectives and principles for the management and governance of data and information systems, which are binding on the institutions. They must guide the development and management of public sector information systems and the management of the data they contain.
The law also introduces the possibility of using public cloud services for the development of public information resources, enabling institutions to use artificial intelligence, data management, blockchain, performance management and groupware solutions, which are usually provided as a service in the public cloud.
It also encourages the development of shared information systems and the centralised provision of information technology services. It will also introduce simpler ways of sharing data and creating user-friendly e-services. The implementation of security requirements will become an integral part of the development of information systems.
"The existing legal framework has made it difficult for the public sector to have an IT management system with leadership, high-level management skills and technological know-how. The new law will therefore help to further increase the level of maturity of IT governance in institutions. This will ensure a higher quality of the information systems being developed and the provision of more convenient and reliable electronic services to citizens," says Erika Kuročkina, Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation.
The law stipulates that the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation will develop the overall national information resources policy, replacing the four ministries currently responsible for information resources policy. The Ministry will be advised by the State Information Resources Management Council and the Data Governance Committee.
The law defines the status of the State Digital Officer (Chief Digital Officer). Each ministry will have an institutional digital commissioner, who will be responsible for the digitisation of the ministry's specific area of responsibility and for monitoring the implementation of the principles of governance and management of state information systems and the data processed in them.
The institutions are also required to draw up IT development plans, monitor their implementation and evaluate the results achieved. Information technology management will also be subject to regular audits.
The law gives more powers to the Information Society Development Committee (ISDC), which implements and monitors the implementation of the national information resources policy. It will be responsible for the accreditation of established information systems, the identification of funding needs for information technology projects and the monitoring of the implementation of these projects. The ISTC will also monitor the implementation of the State Information Technology Architecture.
The Law on the Management of State Information Resources was adopted in 2011. Since then, the basic principles it sets out for the management and development of the state's information resources have remained largely unchanged, despite the tremendous technological advances that have taken place in the world during this period.
