Serbia has begun digitalisation of the state administration and it is my belief that this trend will continue in future, benefiting both businesses and the general public
“It is important that Serbia develop e-government in the shortest possible time, making administrative procedures as efficient as possible and cutting the cost of managing information. For both businesses and the public, the development of e-government implies faster, more transparent, comfortable and affordable communication, which boosts competitiveness and economic growth”, says Nataša Sekulić, President of the e-Government Alliance in NALED and IBM Country Leader for Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania.
Following the success of the Fair Competition Alliance, NALED has formed a similar alliance of companies focused on e-government. Could you tell us more about this initiative and what your expectations are?
The e-Government Alliance is an expert working body of NALED, bringing together 24 of the most relevant companies in ICT and other industries who have the capacity and knowledge to support the government and line institutions in establishing electronic registries and e-services.
Our short-term priority is to make e-signature, e-document and e-payment fully functional as a condition for any electronic service. NALED and the e-Government Alliance are ready to provide expert support to the government
I expect the Alliance to accomplish its strategic goals that are focused on cutting administrative costs for businesses and the public, increasing the efficiency and transparency of the public administration, combating corruption and boosting Serbia’s level of competitiveness.
Why is e-government such an important topic for businesses?
Efficiency, transparency, lower costs, competitiveness – these are all keywords that are clearly defined in the Alliance’s strategic goals. They are the foundation and an absolute necessity for businesses. This is both our present and our future within the world of mobile technology, where new business models are created daily. This is why e-government and m-government are prerequisites for a successful economy, a successful state and a higher standard of living.
The new Minister of State Administration and Local Government, Ana Brnabić expects e-government to be fully functional within two years. Do you think that this plan is manageable, and what do you consider to be a success for the e-Government Alliance?
Serbia has instigated the digitalisation of the state administration and it is my belief that this trend will only continue in future, primarily benefiting both businesses and the general public but it will also be beneficial to the state administration itself. In this respect, each step forward will significantly raise the quality and availability of public services and in turn, boost the competitiveness of our country.
This is what we consider a success. Whether e-government will become fully functional within two years primarily depends on the reach of the Action Plan for Development of e-Government for 2017 and 2018, which is currently being drafted. Either way, the e-Government Alliance will dedicate its abilities towards implementing it.