Conference 'Public Administration in Montenegro in the Process of Digitalization:Challenges and Perspectives' Held

The Human Resources Management Authority and the Ministry of Public Administration
organized the conference on the topic “Public administration in Montenegro in the process of
digitalization: challenges and perspectives” on 1-2 July 2019. The aim of the conference was
to affirm the development of e-government in Montenegro.

The conference tackled the process of digital transformation of the citizens-oriented public
administration services, economy-oriented e-government, information security, as well as the
significance and benefits of e-services. It also reflected on the current level of development of
e-services in public administration, the examples of good practice and strategic commitments
in the forthcoming period.

Minister of Public Administration, Ms Suzana Pribilović, and Head of the Human Resources
Management Authority, Ms Svetlana Vuković, opened the Conference.

After the introductory speeches, the presentations were held by Mr Dušan Polović, Managing
Director of the Directorate for e-Governance and Information Security within the Ministry of
Public Administration; Ms Mirjana Begović, Chief Officer of the Department for the
Development of e-Services who had two presentations on challenges in the development of e-
services and e-democracy in Montenegro; Ms Bojana Bajić, Chief Officer of the Department
for Interoperability of Registers and Normative Affairs presented the legal framework for
establishing e-government, main projects of the Ministry of Public Administration, as well as
the benefits that the new legal solutions for the development of a complete and functional e-
government bring; Ms Svetlana Jovanović, advisor in the Office for Information
Technologies and e-Government in the Government of Serbia, talked about the process of
digitalization in Serbia's public administration; Ms Svetlana Vukićević, Chief Officer in the
Tax Administration presented electronic services in the tax system of Montenegro, while the
last presentation referred to the information security – the requirement for digitalization of
public administration, and it was presented by Mr Goran Tomković, Independent Advisor in
the Department for Information Security.

In addition, two panel discussions were held and both were moderated by Mr Radoje
Cerović, and one of the topics of the panels was 'Digitalization of in-office day-to-day
business'.The participants of this panel were Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Ms Nada
Stanišić, Secretary of the Secretariat for Local Self-Government and Social Activities in the
Old Royal Capital Cetinje, Ms Ankica Pajović, while the representatives of the Ministry of
Public Administration were Ms Danijela Nedeljković-Vukčević, Managing Director of the
Directorate for Public Administration, Chief Officer of the Department for Sharing Software
Resources of State Bodies, Ms Maja Dragojević, and Administrative Inspector, Ms Jovana
Nišavić.

The second panel 'Digitalization of the public administration services: citizens-oriented
e-government', aimed to show benefits that the citizens and economy might expect in the
process of digital transformation. The panellists were Mr Milan Martinović, Deputy
Director of the Customs-Information System in the Customs Administration of Montenegro,
Ms Bojana Bajić, Chief Officer of the Department for Interoperability and Normative
Affairs in the Ministry of Public Administration, Mr Stevan Ljumović, Chief Officer of the
Department for the Integral Healthcare System in the Ministry of Health, and Ms Nada
Rakočević, Secretary of the ICT Committee within the Chamber of Commerce of
Montenegro.

The Conference was moderated by Ms Ana Zečević, independent advisor in the Sector for
Training and Development of Human Resources within the Human Resources Management
Authority.

Digital transformation of a society, that is, a public administration, represents the continuous
process which monitors awareness-raising on the needs for changes, activities related to the
development of capacities, the improvement of digital skills and trust in digital technologies.

The Conference was attended by 66 employees, 26 of whom belonged to senior-management
staff, 16 to expert-management staff and 24 to expert staff.