Dukaj: Montenegro has made progress in the field of cybersecurity

At a presentation on progress in the field of cybersecurity, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Minister of Public Administration Maraš Dukaj announced that Montenegro has made progress in strengthening its national cybersecurity system in the past two years, making a strong step forward compared to the situation recorded after the cyber attack in August 2022, the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) announced.

Opening the event, Dukaj emphasized that the achieved results are the result of a comprehensive reform approach, which included improving the legislative framework, strengthening institutional and human capacities, as well as integrating the national critical information infrastructure.

"The results we present today confirm that Montenegro has built solid foundations for a modern, sustainable and resilient cybersecurity system, aligned with European and Euro-Atlantic standards," he said.

He emphasized that cybersecurity for Montenegro is not only a matter of national security, but also an important segment of European integration and part of the obligations that the country assumes as a member of NATO.

"Cyberspace knows no borders, and threats are becoming increasingly complex and demanding. Montenegro is further strengthening its leadership position in the region, with a clear goal to build a safe, resilient and reliable digital space for citizens, institutions and the economy. The digital future will not belong to the largest, but to the most resilient. Montenegro has chosen to be among them," said Dukaj.

The introductory part of the event was addressed by the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Montenegro, Dawn McCain, and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Montenegro, Peter Felten, who confirmed the continued support of their countries for the reform processes and further strengthening of Montenegro's cyber resilience.

During the presentation, representatives of the Ministry of Public Administration and DCAF presented key results achieved within the framework of joint activities implemented over the past two years. A special focus was on improving the regulatory framework, developing institutional capacities and strengthening cooperation between state authorities, critical infrastructure operators and international partners.

Qualitative and quantitative indicators were presented confirming the progress in building the national cyber ecosystem, as well as the contribution of these activities to fulfilling the priorities of the European Union Reform Agenda in the field of digital transformation and cybersecurity. The importance of the achieved results for achieving NATO capability goals in the domain of cyber defense, resilience, interoperability and readiness was also highlighted.

According to the MPA, the event brought together representatives of state institutions, the diplomatic corps, international organizations, representatives of the national critical information infrastructure, as well as partners from the private sector who actively contribute to the development and strengthening of the national cybersecurity system.

The presentation was organized within the framework of the regional project "Joint Programme for Good Governance in Cybersecurity in the Western Balkans", implemented by DCAF with the financial support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom (FCDO) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.