April 2026
The Mayor of Maroussi, Theodoros Ampatzoglou, and the Co-Owner & Managing Director of Microbase, Antonis Psaras, talk about how technological solutions are practically changing the lives of citizens. Inspired by the “Citizen Line 15321” service, they describe how new technological tools are improving everyone’s daily lives.
The daily life of a city passes through the small, often self-evident, needs of its residents. A call for a light that is not working. A request for a social service. A report about a pothole that needs to be closed. The question is not only how the request reaches the municipal authority, but what happens from there. Is it recorded? Is it monitored? Is it “closed” responsibly?
In Maroussi, the “Citizen Line 15321” has evolved from a simple communication channel into an organized request management system. Since 2019, the municipality, with the expertise of Microbase, has invested in organizational redesign and technological infrastructure, transforming service into a process with clear routing, monitoring and measurable results. The creation of a single cloud platform unified communication channels and provided the municipal administration with data on the operation of services.
The Mayor of Maroussi, Theodoros Ampatzoglou, and the Co-Owner & Managing Director of Microbase, Antonis Psaras, speak to Fortune Greece about the transition from simple communication to data-driven management, the challenges of implementation, and the next step of digital strategy.
What need led to the upgrade of the “Citizen Line 15321” service and how did this choice transform into a platform that changes the way the municipality operates?
Th.A: The “Citizen Line 15321” already existed as a communication channel between citizens and the municipality. However, experience has shown that a simple communication channel is not enough if it is not accompanied by organization, monitoring and accountability. With this in mind, the administration decided to upgrade it, so that the “Citizen Line 15321” could be transformed into a tool for effective administration. Thus, in 2019, the competition to find a contractor began.
The administrative goal was clear: for the citizen to address a single point and for the municipality to fully assume the coordination of the case. The technological upgrade has allowed the digital recording of requests, the unification of communication channels and their clear routing to the competent services. Each request now has a course, a responsible service and a result.
The “Citizen Line 15321” no longer functions simply as a means of service, but as a mechanism for daily administrative monitoring. It gives the administration an image of the real needs of the city and allows for better planning and control. This is a conscious administrative choice, which enhances the consistency, transparency and operational efficiency of the municipality.
A.P.: The main feature of the platform that manages the “Citizen Line 15321” of the municipality of Maroussi is its structured mode of operation, which enhances the quality of communication and services provided to citizens. Citizens now communicate through multiple channels (telephone, email, web and mobile application), while at the same time the recording, assignment, monitoring, resolution and information for each request are carried out in an organized manner.
In addition, the platform includes a unified knowledge database for the provision of correct information, accessibility of the involved bodies from anywhere, monitoring of citizen satisfaction indicators, analysis of statistical operating information and increased availability of services.
Through aggregated and special reports, the administration is provided with data that contributes to the optimization of procedures, the prediction of needs and the enhancement of services according to the requirements of each period.
The Citizens’ Line is a typical example of the application of the Microbase principle: “Man at the core”. Services must be accessible to all –
Antonis Psaras
What are the essential benefits of digital transformation for the citizen and what specific plan has the municipality implemented since 2019?
Th.A.: Digital transformation in Local Government is not an abstract concept or communication announcement, but a field of administration with measurable results. Since 2019, the Municipality of Maroussi has been implementing a specific digital and organizational upgrade plan, which is directly linked to the improvement of the citizen’s daily life and the functional strengthening of the municipality. For the citizen, the benefits are specific and tangible: bureaucracy is reduced, procedures are simplified and the quality of communication with municipal services is improved. The citizen does not need to know the administrative structure to be served; he/she addresses the municipality and the municipality assumes responsibility for coordination and response. At the same time, transparency is enhanced, as each case is recorded, monitored and completed in a clear manner.
This plan is not just about technology. It concerns the way the administration operates, the interconnection of services and the use of data for better planning. The municipality’s comprehensive digital transformation plan in the NSRF 2021–2027, amounting to 1.5 million euros, also falls within this framework. This funding does not mark the beginning, but the continuation and deepening of interventions that have already been implemented since 2019 and have paid off in practice.
How is the functionality of the “Citizen Line 15321” service reflected in practice and what examples of good use can be mentioned?
Th.A.: The functionality of the “Citizen Line 15321” service is reflected mainly through its systematic use by citizens and its daily utilization by municipal services. The 2024 data is a characteristic indication of the system’s maturity and not a simple report.
During 2024, 9,560 citizen requests were completed through it, out of approximately 10,000 in total. This data shows that citizens trust the service and use it as a basic communication tool with the municipality. At the same time, the response of the services confirms that the system allows for better coordination and more effective management of the daily workload.
Of particular importance is that the “Citizen Line 15321” operated effectively even during periods of increased demands, such as during the implementation of preventive fire protection measures. This example highlights the “Citizen Line 15321” as a good management practice, which supports both everyday life and the management of complex and demanding situations.
What were the main challenges you faced in implementing the platform and how did you overcome them?
A.P.: As is the case with public sector projects, the most demanding stage was the recording of the existing situation, the analysis of the requirements and the transition to a modern system, entirely in the Cloud. The new environment was different from what users were used to, and particularly innovative, due to the cloud approach, for public sector data.
In addition to the basic functionality of the platform, Microbase also undertook the structuring, collection and initialization of the unified knowledge base of the “Citizen Line 15321” service.
The collection, digitization and organization of information was a particularly demanding task, which we carried out through systematic cooperation with the services. Having experience in telecommunications and IT projects since 2003, we transferred best operating practices to the municipality’s structure, achieving high performance and satisfaction rates for both the employees at “Citizen Line 15321” and the municipality’s services, but most importantly, for the citizens.
What is the significance of the award at the 1st Smart Cities Exhibition and how does it relate to the overall strategy from 2019?
Th.A.: The award of the “Citizen Line 15321” service and the official portal of the Municipality of Maroussi at the 1st Smart Cities Exhibition, which took place at the Zappeion Megaron, has clear political and administrative significance. It does not concern a momentary success or an individual tool, but recognizes an overall strategy of digital and organizational upgrading that has been consistently implemented since 2019.
This distinction confirms that the choices made were based on a specific plan and not on general declarations. In combination with the inclusion of digital transformation in the NSRF 2021–2027, a stable management framework is being established with continuity, funding and clear orientation. The award functions as recognition of a good practice that has already been implemented and has paid off, but also as a commitment to continuous improvement of administrative tools, guided by functionality, transparency and effective service to the citizen.
Digital transformation in Local Government is not an abstract concept or communication announcement, but a field of administrative practice with measurable results – Theodoros Ampatzoglou
How is the balance between technological solutions and human-centered service achieved in practice in an era when technology is a powerful tool, but the human factor remains decisive?
A.P.: The “Citizen Line 15321” is a typical example of the application of our principle “Man at the core”. The diversity of the profile of citizens, the range of services provided and the way they are provided do not allow for the complete automation of the project. Services must be accessible to everyone. For this reason, the design of the communication channels was done in a way that does not exclude any social, age or other group.
The balance between digital media, such as the Web Application and the Mobile Application, and widely used channels, such as physical presence and telephone, allows access to the municipality’s services without exclusions. At the same time, “Citizen Line 15321”, in addition to its technical and daily operations, also provides social services, where the human factor remains decisive.
What are Microbase’s next plans and strategic priorities in the field of digital innovation?
A.P.: Microbase has been in the field for more than 22 years. Our evolutionary path has always been based on service and innovation. And so we will continue: to innovate for the benefit of customers, residents and citizens of each of our partner-clients, always “putting Man at the core”.
With our own telecommunications software, intellectual property, we have the ability to provide personalized solutions with a wide range of coverage: from the needs of a small business to large organizations in the public and private sectors, and even telecommunications providers.
With our above strengths and the experience of our very strong team in large scale projects, our goal is spread across two pillars: on the one hand, in further expanding our market in Greece and abroad, through collaborations and participation in partnerships for the development of particularly demanding projects, where we can add value to the solutions we provide; on the other hand, in further developing our solutions in the field of artificial intelligence, which is a dominant priority and a strategic roadmap.
*The interview was published in the 31/03/2026 issue of Fortune Greece