The "Digital Transformation of Local Self-Governments" project has been completed - Montenegro connects all municipalities into a single digital system

"Through the GSB system, we are connecting all local governments in a single digital network for the first time. This is a historic step towards modern administration in Montenegro," said the Minister of Public Administration, Marash Dukaj, at the official closing of the "Digital Transformation of Local Self-Government" project.

Speaking at the event, the Minister Marash emphasized that the results of this project represent the foundation for a new phase of public administration development. He also pointed out that the project represents one of the most important steps towards the modernization of public administration and the improvement of digital services for citizens and the economy in Montenegro.

The project was implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with the Ministry of Public Administration, and was funded by the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund (MAF) which is supported by the EU and the governments of Luxembourg, Switzerland, Montenegro, Austria and Ireland.

“By bringing together the expertise of different UN entities, in close partnership with the Ministry of Public Administration and municipalities, we have helped advance digital transformation in ways that can make public services more responsive to people’s needs,”," said Carolin Tissot, resident coordinator of the UN in Montenegro.

The director of the UNOPS South East Europe Multi-Country Office, Michela Telatin, assessed that this project represents an example of how meaningful digital transformation happens when institutions work together around a shared vision.

"By strengthening capacities for citizen-centred digital services and expanding the scope of support from the initially planned six to 20 municipalities, we have helped lay the foundations for a more connected, efficient, and accessible public administration in Montenegro," said Telatin.

Jaroslav Ponder, Head of the ITU Office for Europe, also pointed out that the project shows the true value of partnership in advancing digital transformation at the local level.

“Through the roll-out of the GovStack approach municipalities and national institutions strengthened a whole-of-government approach to digital transformation, advanced interoperability, and developed practical foundations through three citizen-centred digital service prototypes aligned with national priorities and local needs” said Ponder.

Through the project, local self-governments were provided with technical equipment for access to the GSB electronic data exchange system, which for the first time connected all municipalities in Montenegro into a single digital communication system. It was assessed that this is a historic step towards a completely modernized and more efficient public administration.

Additionally, through the acquisition of firewall devices and antivirus licenses for 14 municipalities, the protection of local information systems and the resistance of institutions to modern security challenges have been significantly improved.

The project included technical support to municipalities, improvement of the normative framework, strengthening of information security standards, formation of local working groups and creation of digital road maps for the further development of local administrations.

It was especially emphasized that the digital transformation is carried out in parallel with the process of decentralization and strengthening of local self-government. In this context, it was pointed out that the Government of Montenegro recently established the Draft Law on Local Self-Government, which will represent a key normative framework not only for other procedures, but also for further digitization and decentralization of the state.

"The most important reform of public administration is not the one that the institutions see, but the one that the citizen feels when he receives the service immediately instead of waiting," said Minister Dukaj, emphasizing that, in accordance with the Public Administration Reform Strategy, we will continue to work hard on the modernization of public services and their greater availability to citizens.

During the event, gratitude was extended to all municipalities, partners, experts and institutions that contributed to the implementation of the project, as well as to the organizations UNOPS and ITU for their continued support of reform processes and modernization of the state.

The continued support of the Delegation of the European Union in Montenegro was especially welcomed, with the assessment that this is a confirmation that the reform results have been recognized and that we are on the right track when it comes to the modernization of public administration.