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Ivan Bojanović, MFIC BoD Member, Director of Saga CG

Digitalisation is a Great Chance for Montenegro

We, at the MFIC, want to join forces with the government to create a Digital Montenegro, which will be attractive to foreign companies, but will also a better, faster, more effective and a more advanced state for its citizens. This is a great chance for small states and small, adaptable systems like ours

Digital transformation is an important prerequisite that needs to be met in order for companies, but also countries, to become and remain competitive on the market. „Most companies operating in the world today, including in Montenegro, have taken this trend seriously and are committed to transforming their business models,“ says Ivan Bojanović, member of the MFIC Board of Directors and Director of Saga CG.

Montenegro is a state that’s only in its infancy when it comes to digital transformation, which is why Bojanović considers that “it is very important that we create conditions as soon as possible for transformation that will move us closer to developed countries, but also to the countries of the region that have already done a lot in this field.”

In this regard, our interlocutor considers, both the public and private sectors must cooperate closely when it comes to this field. “The experience brought by the private sector, particularly foreign companies that operate in Montenegro, can be of incalculable value to our country. The dialogue between the Government and local self-governments, on one side, and the private sector, on the other, can speed up the digital transformation process,” says Bojanović.

What kind of potential does Montenegro have for transforming into a knowledge-based economy?

– Montenegro, as a small country in terms of population and territory, can profit greatly in the era of the digital economy. Natural beauty and tourism, which we depend on the most, are an excellent basis, but are insufficient for making progress in an economic sense. Montenegro must implement education reforms, and must focus primarily on educating personnel who will bring added value, and who are in short supply both in our country and around the world. Computer literacy is an essential precondition for progress in this regard, so when I mention education reform I mean the reform of basic primary school education, in terms of integrating informatics into school curricula from the very beginning.

The MFIC, as an association of foreign companies, can be very helpful in conveying the experience of countries from the region, Europe and around the world when it comes to accelerating the overcoming of obstacles in the digital transformation process

Every change brings with it fears, and the new revolution – in an economic sense – has caused the most fear when it comes to losing jobs, given that many jobs are expected to be lost by digitalisation and automation, and that many tasks and processes will be automated.

Although that fear is justified, this is a great opportunity – particularly for small states like Montenegro and small, adaptable systems like ours. This is a chance to recognise which occupations will disappear and which are emerging of will emerge, and to work – through the aforementioned reform of education, but also through retraining programmes for the existing workforce – to create an “island of knowledge” that will be a place where the world’s largest companies open their representative offices.

What can the MFIC do for the promotion of the ICT sector and it being recognised as having growing potential for Montenegro?

– The MFIC is an association of foreign companies and, as I’ve already mentioned, the experience of these companies is invaluable for our country. The Council already does a lot on promoting the ICT sector, but there’s still plenty of work ahead of us. I believe that the current government has already recognised a partner in us in this regard, and it is up to us to preserve that trust and to get involved, as much as possible, in the government’s activities in this field.