Digital transformation is one of the key priorities that the governments of all Western Balkan countries strive for, as it enables the accessibility of public administration to citizens and the economy, said Minister of Public Administration Maraš Dukaj.
At the Digital Summit in Tallinn, he said that the development of electronic services is an activity to which they devote their full attention.
According to Dukaj, the precondition that needs to be fulfilled in this demanding process is the provision of cyber security.
"I am pleased to have the opportunity right here in Estonia, which is a leader in the field of digital transformation and cyber security, to participate in the conversation about cyber security and progress, challenges and needs in achieving a resilient cyberspace of the entire region," said Dukaj.
As announced by the Ministry of Public Administration (MJU), in his presentation during the session "Digital Security of the Western Balkans", he pointed out that in August of last year, Montenegro suffered strong cyber attacks on the government's IT infrastructure.
"It turned out that Montenegro needs a strong cyber security ecosystem, which we didn't have at the time," said Dukaj.
Therefore, as he said, the Ministry of Justice took all the necessary steps and initiated mechanisms to improve the security of cyber space in Montenegro.
"In the moments when we were faced with an attack, international cooperation was of crucial importance, as well as the commitment of friendly countries, that is, the solidarity of our partners," said Dukaj.
He thanked the European Union, that is, for the support that Montenegro received through the Cyber Rapid Response project implemented by EGA.
Dukaj said that the Government is working intensively with the aim of strengthening regional and international cooperation in the field of cyber security.
"On this occasion, I am proud to highlight our cooperation with France and Slovenia, especially when it comes to the establishment of the Regional Center for Training and Cyber Security, based in Podgorica," said Dukaj.
According to him, Montenegro's membership in the management board of the Regional Center for Training and Cyber Security not only emphasizes the commitment to regional cooperation, but also the great importance of collective action in dealing with constantly evolving cyber threats.
As Dukaj said, by investing in the development of experts in the field of cyber security and developing awareness and culture about the importance of cyber security, their goal is to improve the overall readiness and resilience of not only Montenegro but also the Western Balkans to deal with cyber threats.
"In this sense, we believe that in our efforts for a more resilient cyber ecosystem, closer regional cooperation must have a special place in all our agendas," Dukaj said.
As he stated, Montenegro will welcome new ideas for the improvement of the region in the field of cyber security, as well as the next steps in the rapprochement of economies.
The Digital Summit is an annual high-level summit, which brought together a large number of representatives of the countries of the Western Balkans, the European Commission and numerous other guests, and focuses on the comparative experiences of advancing digital transformation and cyber security.
Bonus video:
