Citizens want easy access to electronic services

Citizens want simple access to electronic services that will enable fast, efficient and quality communication with the public administration, and marginalized groups expect a reduction in procedures in contact with the public administration and that they do not have to submit the same data twice.

This is the conclusion of the workshop where, in a direct conversation with citizens and in order to better understand their expectations, needs and experiences with e-services, the concept of electronic identification was presented, along with the advantages provided by an electronic identity card in terms of access to currently available e-services of the public sector .

As announced by UNDP, the first in a series of workshops was organized within the project "E-services and digital infrastructure in response to COVID-19", which is financed by the European Union, and implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration.

Head of the Department for Portals and Services from the Ministry of Public Administration, Vesna Simonović, said that citizens' views will help to develop new e-services according to the real needs of society as a whole, adapting them to the unique experiences and needs of different communities.

As announced, all citizens, despite their physical limitations, material status and age, must be enabled to use the advantages of digitization.

It states that special attention should be paid to providing support to communities most exposed to the risk of marginalization, including people with disabilities, single parents and the Roma and Egyptian (RE) population, but also senior citizens, young entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs, as well as students living in student dormitories.

"In this way, we are expanding the network in terms of digital literacy, skills and training and employment opportunities," the statement said.

Acting Director General of the Directorate for Administrative Affairs, Citizenship and Foreigners at the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP), Radovan Popović, emphasized that the needs of all members of a society are significantly different.

"But they can be satisfied through the development of public electronic services whose focus is on the user, and the Ministry of Interior will continue to work on the development of new electronic services, with a special focus on vulnerable groups, Popović said.

As announced, the digital economy can offer numerous opportunities to people with disabilities, who often face stigma as an obstacle in employment, but also in everyday life.

The executive director of the Association of the Blind of Montenegro, Goran Macanović, said that he expects electronic services to meet the standard of e-accessibility, so that users of screen readers and people with partial vision impairment can use them unhindered.

"It is important to bridge the gap in digital skills, especially among our fellow citizens, who may need more support when using e-services than others," said Macanović.

The president of the National Association of Parents of Children and Youth with Developmental Disabilities, Savo Knežević, expects that e-services will facilitate parents' daily obligations, especially in the domain of easier access to health care and social services, without unnecessary wasting of time when making an appointment, and without waiting in lines.

"Also, it is necessary to raise the level of digital literacy of all citizens," said Knežević.

Snežana Nikčević from NGO 35mm pointed out that it is very important to have constant communication with citizens when it comes to using e-services.

"Also, it is of crucial importance to develop cooperation between the civil sector and public administration, because only by working together is it possible, based on the realistic expectations of citizens, to develop services that they will actually use," said Nikčević.

Project manager at UNDP Boris Rebić pointed out that the accelerated pace of digital transformation carries the risk of increasing the social exclusion of already vulnerable groups that are not digitally literate or connected.

"Persons with disabilities, pensioners, students, women, think differently about technology, but the perspective of all of them is important for the development of e-services to ensure that the advantages of the digital society are available to everyone," said Rebić.

UNDP said that a number of electronic services are currently available to the citizens of Montenegro, which provide easier access to quality education, easier starting and running a business.

"While numerous e-services in the future will enable citizens to pay real estate tax online, register and make an appointment for a wedding, initially only on the territory of the Capital City, inspect the register of fines and payments, while students and pupils will be able to apply for accommodation in a home", said UNDP.

As they added, electronic registration, which is currently only possible in state educational institutions, will also include private kindergartens and colleges.

"This practically means that trips to the counter will not be necessary or will be reduced to a minimum," stated UNDP.

They said that the plan is to hold a series of public workshops intended for anyone who wants to learn how to use e-services.

"Our goal is to draw the attention of as many citizens as possible to new solutions made possible by digitization, which will create equal conditions and opportunities for everyone to use digital public services," said UNDP.

They announced that, in addition to these workshops and tutorials with detailed user instructions, operators in regional units of the MUP in Bijelo Polje, Pljevlja, Nikšić, Bar, Herceg Novi and Podgorica will provide support to citizens to activate certificates in the electronic identity card on the spot .