Abazović: New cyber security strategy at the beginning of next year

The new cyber security strategy should enter into force at the beginning of next year, announced the adviser to the prime minister in the Government of Montenegro, Dejan Abazović, stating that he hopes that a cyber security center will also be formed.

Abazović, at the session "Cooperation between governments and activities in the field of cyber security", which was held as part of the fourth Digital Summit of the economies of the Western Balkans, said that a new Cyber ​​Security Strategy will be created for the period from 2022 to the end of 2025.

"These days we are in that process and we are working hard. The strategy with new action plans should become active from the beginning of next year," said Abazović.

He said that he hopes to form a Cyber ​​Security Center that will coordinate all activities in Montenegro in various public sectors.

Director of Results Consulting from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Enes Haračić, said that cyber security threats are global.

"So the response to that type of threat should be transnational, in our case regional. Since all the countries of the Western Balkans are small, it is very difficult to reach a critical mass. So that information exchange platforms can become interesting for those who share data, as well as for those who read and use data," said Haračić.

Project coordinator at the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Franziska Klopfer, said that countries are becoming the target of dangerous attacks because of the data they have, stating that it disrupts the functioning of state administrations and services.

"Cyber ​​security is a new area when we talk about security policies. And more and more countries are fighting to respond to the new needs that this age imposes. It is very important to know that cyber security issues require investments from the very beginning, as well as for the state to make this issue a priority when it comes to national security and defense policies," said Klopfer.

The representative of the General Directorate for Communications, Networks and Content in the European Commission, Mabrouk Skander, said that they have adopted a directive in certain sectors, which stipulates that member states identify operators of potential services that could be the target of cyber attacks, which could affect economy and national security of the country.

"It is a good system because it stipulates that member states should improve cyber security through a national team that can respond to dangerous situations at a given moment. There is a need for a national body that checks whether this information is shared in an adequate way and a key infrastructure that is part of these types of functioning is needed," said Skander.

Solza Kovachevska, State Advisor for Information Systems and Technologies in the Ministry of Information Society and Administration in the Government of North Macedonia, said that in that country the Cyber ​​Risk Preparation Program is implemented by a technical team from the United States of America and the United Kingdom, and coordinated by their department.

"This program defines three sectors. It concerns energy, ICT and finance. "Successful implementation of the program involves the engagement of key ministries, key infrastructure operators from the public and private sectors," said Kovachevska.

The representative of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications in the Government of Serbia, Marija Popović, said that one of the main goals of the Cyber ​​Security Strategy, which covers the period 2021-2026, is the education of the population that has no experience in cyber security.

"We are constantly working to raise people's awareness, but as in all other countries of the Western Balkans, we do not have enough resources, people and knowledge," said Popović.

Director General of the National Directorate for Electronic Certification and Cyber ​​Security in Albania, Vilma Tomco, said that Albania, as a small country, cannot invest in technical capacities for cyber security, but, as she stated, they invest more in human resources.

"The pandemic has had a good effect on us in a way, because in a very short time in the online environment we have become aware that we have to focus on people," said Tomco.

She announced that their next focus will be on monitoring networks related to threats, in order to reduce negative impacts on the telecommunications network.

"Continuous implementation of awareness-raising campaigns on capacity building and monitoring is necessary," Tomco pointed out.

The Digital Summit of the Western Balkans 2021 is being held as part of the Berlin Process and as an initiative of the Regional Council for Cooperation, and the importance of the summit has been confirmed through the new four-year action plan 2021-2024 for the Common Regional Market (CRM).

The host and organizer of this year's edition is the Ministry of Public Administration of Digital Society and Media under the Government of Montenegro, while the general sponsor is the company M:TEL.