diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb4e40c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,166 @@
+name: CI
+
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+  pull_request:
+    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
+
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.event.pull_request.number || github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
+# common variable is defined in the workflow
+# repo env variable doesn't work for PR from forks
+env:
+  CI_IMAGE: "paritytech/ci-unified:bullseye-1.75.0-2024-01-22-v20240222"
+
+jobs:
+  set-image:
+    # This workaround sets the container image for each job using 'set-image' job output.
+    # env variables don't work for PR from forks, so we need to use outputs.
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      CI_IMAGE: ${{ steps.set_image.outputs.CI_IMAGE }}
+    steps:
+      - id: set_image
+        run: echo "CI_IMAGE=${{ env.CI_IMAGE }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+
+  fmt:
+    name: Cargo fmt
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+    needs: [set-image]
+    container:
+      image: ${{ needs.set-image.outputs.CI_IMAGE }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
+      - name: Rust Cache
+        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@23bce251a8cd2ffc3c1075eaa2367cf899916d84 # v2.7.3
+        with:
+          cache-on-failure: true
+          cache-all-crates: true
+      - name: cargo info
+        run: |
+          echo "######## rustup show ########"
+          rustup show
+          echo "######## cargo --version ########"
+          cargo --version
+      - name: Cargo fmt
+        run: cargo +nightly fmt --all -- --check
+
+  build-test-linux:
+    name: Build Linux
+    runs-on: parity-large
+    timeout-minutes: 50
+    needs: [set-image, fmt]
+    container:
+      image: ${{ needs.set-image.outputs.CI_IMAGE }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
+      - name: Rust Cache
+        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@23bce251a8cd2ffc3c1075eaa2367cf899916d84 # v2.7.3
+        with:
+          cache-on-failure: true
+          cache-all-crates: true
+      - name: cargo info
+        run: |
+          echo "######## rustup show ########"
+          rustup show
+          echo "######## cargo --version ########"
+          cargo --version
+      - name: Build and Test Linux
+        run: |
+          echo "######## cargo build ########"
+          cargo build --release
+          echo "######## cargo test ########"
+          cargo test --release --all
+          echo "######## Packing artifacts ########"
+          mkdir -p ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/
+          cp target/release/substrate-contracts-node ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/substrate-contracts-node
+          ls -la ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/
+      - name: Upload artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.3.6
+        with:
+          name: build-linux
+          path: ./artifacts
+  build-macos:
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    runs-on: parity-macos
+    needs: [fmt]
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
+      - name: Set rust version from env file
+        run: |
+          echo $CI_IMAGE
+          RUST_VERSION=$(echo $CI_IMAGE | sed -E 's/.*ci-unified:([^-]+)-([^-]+).*/\2/')
+          echo $RUST_VERSION
+          echo "RUST_VERSION=${RUST_VERSION}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Set up Homebrew
+        uses: Homebrew/actions/setup-homebrew@1ccc07ccd54b6048295516a3eb89b192c35057dc # master from 12.09.2024
+      - name: Install protobuf
+        run: brew install protobuf
+      - name: Install rust ${{ env.RUST_VERSION }}
+        uses: actions-rust-lang/setup-rust-toolchain@1fbea72663f6d4c03efaab13560c8a24cfd2a7cc # v1.9.0
+        with:
+          cache: false
+          toolchain: ${{ env.RUST_VERSION }}
+          target: wasm32-unknown-unknown, aarch64-apple-darwin, x86_64-apple-darwin
+          components: cargo, clippy, rust-docs, rust-src, rustfmt, rustc, rust-std
+      - name: cargo info
+        run: |
+          echo "######## rustup show ########"
+          rustup show
+          echo "######## cargo --version ########"
+          cargo --version
+      - name: Rust Cache
+        uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@23bce251a8cd2ffc3c1075eaa2367cf899916d84 # v2.7.3
+        with:
+          cache-on-failure: true
+          cache-all-crates: true
+      - name: Run cargo build
+        run: |
+          echo "######## cargo build aarch64-apple-darwin ########"
+          cargo build --release --target aarch64-apple-darwin
+          echo "######## cargo build x86_64-apple-darwin ########"
+          cargo build --release --target x86_64-apple-darwin
+          echo "######## Packing artifacts ########"
+          mkdir -p ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/
+          lipo  ./target/x86_64-apple-darwin/release/substrate-contracts-node \
+                ./target/aarch64-apple-darwin/release/substrate-contracts-node  \
+                -create -output ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/substrate-contracts-node
+          ls -la ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/
+      - name: Upload artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4.3.6
+        with:
+          name: build-macos
+          path: ./artifacts
+  publish:
+    name: Publish release
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    needs: [build-test-linux, build-macos]
+    permissions:
+      contents: write
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@692973e3d937129bcbf40652eb9f2f61becf3332 # v4.1.7
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@fa0a91b85d4f404e444e00e005971372dc801d16 # v4.1.8
+        with:
+          name: build-linux
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@fa0a91b85d4f404e444e00e005971372dc801d16 # v4.1.8
+        with:
+          name: build-macos
+      - name: Pack artifacts
+        run: |
+          tar -czvf ./substrate-contracts-node-linux.tar.gz ./substrate-contracts-node-linux
+          tar -czvf ./substrate-contracts-node-mac-universal.tar.gz ./substrate-contracts-node-mac
+          ls -la
+      - name: Publish release
+        uses: ghalactic/github-release-from-tag@cebdacac0ccd08933b8e7f278f4123723ad978eb # v5.4.0
+        if: github.ref_type == 'tag'
+        with:
+          prerelease: false
+          draft: true
+          assets: |
+            - path: substrate-contracts-node-linux.tar.gz
+            - path: substrate-contracts-node-mac-universal.tar.gz
diff --git a/.github/workflows/gitspiegel-trigger.yml b/.github/workflows/gitspiegel-trigger.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index dce3aaf..0000000
--- a/.github/workflows/gitspiegel-trigger.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-name: gitspiegel sync
-
-# This workflow doesn't do anything, it's only use is to trigger "workflow_run"
-# webhook, that'll be consumed by gitspiegel
-# This way, gitspiegel won't do mirroring, unless this workflow runs,
-# and running the workflow is protected by GitHub
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-    types:
-      - opened
-      - synchronize
-      - unlocked
-      - ready_for_review
-      - reopened
-
-jobs:
-  sync:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Do nothing
-        run: echo "let's go"
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 2bfc1ef..0000000
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,165 +0,0 @@
-# .gitlab-ci.yml
-#
-# substrate-contracts-node
-#
-# pipelines can be triggered manually in the web
-
-default:
-  interruptible:                   true
-  retry:
-    max: 2
-    when:
-      - runner_system_failure
-      - unknown_failure
-      - api_failure
-
-stages:
-  - fmt
-  - build-linux
-  - build-mac
-  - publish
-
-variables:
-  GIT_STRATEGY:                    fetch
-  GIT_DEPTH:                       100
-  CARGO_INCREMENTAL:               0
-
-.collect-artifacts:                &collect-artifacts
-  artifacts:
-    name:                          "${CI_JOB_NAME}_${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME}"
-    when:                          on_success
-    expire_in:                     7 days
-    paths:
-      - artifacts/
-
-.docker-env:                       &docker-env
-  image:                           paritytech/ci-unified:latest
-  before_script:
-    - cargo -vV
-    - rustc -vV
-    - rustup show
-    - bash --version
-  tags:
-    - linux-docker-vm-c2
-
-.kubernetes-env:                   &kubernetes-env
-  tags:
-    - kubernetes-parity-build
-
-.build-refs:                       &build-refs
-  rules:
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "main"
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME == "tags"
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^[0-9]+$/                         # PRs
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$/              # i.e. v1.0, v2.1rc1
-
-.publish-refs:                     &publish-refs
-  rules:
-    - if: $CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE == "schedule"
-    - if: $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME =~ /^v[0-9]+\.[0-9]+.*$/              # i.e. v1.0, v2.1rc1
-
-### stage:                         fmt
-
-fmt:
-  stage:                           fmt
-  <<:                              *docker-env
-  script:
-    - cargo +nightly fmt --verbose --all -- --check
-
-### stage:                         build-linux
-
-build-linux:
-  stage:                           build-linux
-  <<:                              *docker-env
-  <<:                              *collect-artifacts
-  <<:                              *build-refs
-  script:
-    - time cargo build --release
-    - time cargo test --release --all
-    - mkdir -p ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/
-    - cp target/release/substrate-contracts-node ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/substrate-contracts-node
-
-### stage:                         build-mac
-
-build-mac:
-  stage:                           build-mac
-  <<:                              *docker-env
-  <<:                              *collect-artifacts
-  <<:                              *build-refs
-  before_script:
-    - unset CARGO_TARGET_DIR
-  script:
-    - rustup component add rust-src rustfmt
-    - rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown aarch64-apple-darwin
-    - time cargo build --release --target aarch64-apple-darwin
-    - rustup target add x86_64-apple-darwin
-    - time cargo build --release --target x86_64-apple-darwin
-    - mkdir -p ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/
-    - 'lipo
-        ./target/x86_64-apple-darwin/release/substrate-contracts-node
-        ./target/aarch64-apple-darwin/release/substrate-contracts-node
-        -create
-        -output ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/substrate-contracts-node'
-  tags:
-    - osx
-
-publish:
-  stage:                           publish
-  <<:                              *kubernetes-env
-  image:                           paritytech/tools:latest
-  <<:                              *publish-refs
-  needs:
-    - job: build-linux
-      artifacts: true
-    - job: build-mac
-      artifacts: true
-  script:
-    - git describe --tags
-    - TAG_NAME=`git describe --tags`
-    - echo "tag name ${TAG_NAME}"
-    - tar -czvf ./substrate-contracts-node-linux.tar.gz ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-linux/substrate-contracts-node
-    - tar -czvf ./substrate-contracts-node-mac-universal.tar.gz ./artifacts/substrate-contracts-node-mac/substrate-contracts-node
-    - 'curl https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases
-        --fail-with-body
-        -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"'
-    - 'curl https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases
-        --fail-with-body
-        -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" | jq .'
-    - 'RELEASE_ID=$(curl https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases
-        --fail-with-body
-        -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
-        | jq -r ".[] | select(.tag_name == \"$TAG_NAME\") | .id");
-      echo "release id if existent: ${RELEASE_ID}"'
-    - 'if [ -z "$RELEASE_ID" ]; then
-        RESP=$(curl -X "POST" "https://api.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases"
-          --fail-with-body
-          -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-          -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
-          -H "Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8"
-          -d $"{
-              \"tag_name\": \"${TAG_NAME}\",
-              \"name\": \"${TAG_NAME}\",
-              \"prerelease\": false,
-              \"draft\": true
-          }");
-          echo "api response ${RESP}";
-          RELEASE_ID=$(echo $RESP | jq -r .id);
-          echo "release id of created release ${RELEASE_ID}";
-        fi'
-    - echo "release id ${RELEASE_ID}"
-    - 'curl -X "POST" "https://uploads.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets?name=substrate-contracts-node-linux.tar.gz"
-        --fail-with-body
-        -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
-        -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream"
-        --data-binary @"./substrate-contracts-node-linux.tar.gz"'
-    - 'curl -X "POST" "https://uploads.github.com/repos/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases/$RELEASE_ID/assets?name=substrate-contracts-node-mac-universal.tar.gz"
-        --fail-with-body
-        -H "Cookie: logged_in=no"
-        -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}"
-        -H "Content-Type: application/octet-stream"
-        --data-binary @"./substrate-contracts-node-mac-universal.tar.gz"'
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d366a05..ef3e9f7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -109,12 +109,18 @@ We can have two types of releases:
       `cargo release 0.XX.0 -v --no-tag --no-push -p contracts-node --execute`
       Note: Before uploading, perform a dry run to ensure that it will be successful.
 - [ ] Merge the release PR branch.
-- [ ] Replace `XX` in this command with your incremented version number and execute it:
-      `git checkout main && git pull && git tag v0.XX.0 && git push origin v0.XX.0`.
-      This will push a new tag with the version number to this repository.
-- [ ] We have set this repository up in a way that tags à la `vX.X.X` trigger
-      a CI run that creates a GitHub draft release. You can observe CI runs on
-      [GitLab](https://gitlab.parity.io/parity/mirrors/substrate-contracts-node/-/pipelines).
+- [ ] Set the tag and run the following commands to push the tag. The tag must contain a message, otherwise the github action won't be able to create a release:
+  
+```bash
+TAG="v0.XX.0"
+git checkout main
+git pull
+git tag -a ${TAG} -m "${TAG}"
+git push origin ${TAG}
+```
+
+
+- [ ] After tag is pushed CI creates a GitHub draft release.
       This draft release will contain a binary for Linux and Mac and appear
       under [Releases](https://github.com/paritytech/substrate-contracts-node/releases).
       Add a description in the style of "Synchronized with [`polkadot-v1.8.0`](https://github.com/paritytech/polkadot-sdk/tree/release-polkadot-v1.8.0) branch."