Minister Dukaj Meets ITU Regional Office for Europe Head Jaroslaw Ponder at Digital Summit in Herceg Novi

During the meeting, the results of previous cooperation were reviewed, and satisfaction was expressed with the successful completion of the project financed through Montenegro’s Migration and Acceleration Facility (MAF), with key support from the EU and the partner governments of Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Particular emphasis was placed on infrastructure progress: all 25 Montenegrin municipalities have been successfully connected to the GSB system, the scope of direct support has been expanded to 20 municipalities, and valuable data-exchange equipment, including firewall devices and antivirus licenses, has been provided to 14 municipalities, significantly strengthening their information security. Regarding future steps, Minister Dukaj and Mr. Ponder opened a dialogue on the key challenges of the modern digital era: further strengthening the cyber resilience of public administration, continuing training and the exchange of experience, and developing regulatory frameworks for the safe management of artificial intelligence at the national level. On this occasion, Minister Dukaj stated: “The partnership between Montenegro and the ITU, which we are reaffirming today in Herceg Novi with Mr. Ponder, has provided concrete and measurable evidence of how technology transforms administration into a direct service for citizens. Through the local government digitalization project, we connected all 25 municipalities to the GSB system and provided essential security equipment, including firewall devices and antivirus licenses for 14 municipalities. Together with the ITU, Montenegro is boldly planning the next steps, ready to address challenges in the areas of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence regulation.” Jaroslaw Ponder, Head of the ITU Regional Office for Europe, praised the proactive role of the Ministry of Public Administration and Montenegro’s commitment to digital reforms: “The ITU continues to provide full expert and technical support to the Montenegrin administration in the process of aligning with European and global digital standards.”