DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

MILOŠ CVETANOVIĆ,SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE SECTOR FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY AND INFORMATION SECURITY

Digital Transformation MUST BE INCLUSIVE

In order for a society to progress through the process of digitalising all of its segments, it is necessary to build trust, influence the raising of levels of knowhow and create safe surroundings that have a stimulating influence on citizens in particular, in order for them to recognise the benefits of digitalisation and services that are provided electronically.

Digitalisation implies the establishing of a system in which there must be a strong link between all stakeholders involved in that chain and which must be based on three key factors: trust, knowledge and security. The digitalisation process has begun and is certainly unstoppable, although a need exists to consolidate all processes that take place, at least when it comes to the public sector, and the strategy defining the development of the information society and information security that’s been prepared by the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications therefore addresses this topic in a comprehensive way, by recognising the participants in these processes, and those participants are primarily the public sector, the private sector and citizens.

Given that this relates to an all-encompassing area, it is also necessary to emphasise that the Government has already adopted strategies to govern specific individual areas that are an integral part

of digitalisation, and with which the directions of the development of digital skills are defined, then artificial intelligence and its potential to improve the quality of life of every individual and society as a whole, and finally smart specialisation that’s aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the economy, economic growth and society’s progress via the connecting of research, industrial and innovation forces and resources, as well as enabling the domestic economy to more effectively utilise its potential and better position itself on global markets.

When it comes to the current situation and the use of information and communication technologies in the Republic of Serbia, it can be concluded that all trends related to the use of the internet, computers, broadband internet connections, mobile phones and internet-based trade are increasing constantly, while the most common categories of people that least use these technologies are older citizens and they are used the least in rural areas. It can also be stated that the ICT sector is experiencing constant growth and recording advances every year when it comes to employment, earnings, foreign trade exchanges and exports of computer services.

One topic that permeates all these areas to a great extent is information security and the protection of information systems, which are important from the point of view of national security, but also for the economy and citizens. The main holders of activities in the field of information security are the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications and the National CERT, which implement activities aimed at preventing and protecting against security risks in ICT systems in the Republic of Serbia.

In order to further the information society to be developed further, it is necessary to continue improving the digital knowhow and skills of all citizens, building capacities to use new technologies among employees in both the public and private sectors, as well as improving digital infrastructure in educational institutions. Moreover, it is essential to continue and intensify activities on the digitalisation of services and operations in the public and private sectors, and it is very important to improve information security alongside all of that.

Use of the internet, computers, broadband internet connections, mobile phones and internetbased trade are increasing constantly in Serbia