The Western Balkans have made progress in digital transformation, but the next breakthrough depends on connecting six economies through shared digital services, interoperable identities, stronger cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, regional leaders said at a major summit in Montenegro.
HERCEG NOVI, Montenegro, Oct. 13 — Western Balkan countries must shift their focus from developing separate digital systems to building interconnected services across the region, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Amer Kapetanoviq said on Tuesday, calling for faster integration with the European Union’s Digital Single Market.
Speaking at the opening of the eighth Western Balkans Digital Summit in Herceg Novi, Kapetanoviq said the region’s digital transformation would deliver greater benefits only if governments ensured that their systems could operate across national borders.
“Our next challenge is not simply to digitalise six economies. It is to connect them,” Kapetanoviq told government officials, EU representatives, telecommunications operators and technology industry leaders.
The two-day summit, held on Oct. 13-14, brings together representatives of the six Western Balkan economies, European institutions and international organisations to discuss digital connectivity, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and the modernisation of public services.
Organised by Montenegro’s Ministry of Public Administration in partnership with the RCC and the European Union, the gathering comes as the region seeks closer economic and technological integration with the EU.
From roaming-free travel to interconnected digital services
Kapetanoviq pointed to the abolition of roaming charges within the Western Balkans as one of the most tangible achievements of regional cooperation.
He said the same approach should now be applied to digital identities, electronic public services, telecommunications infrastructure, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The goal is to move beyond national digitalisation projects and create systems that citizens and businesses can use across the region.
Such cooperation is also a central element of the Common Regional Market, an initiative intended to reduce economic barriers among the six Western Balkan economies and prepare them for closer integration with the EU Single Market.
Kapetanoviq urged governments and institutions to turn political commitments into measurable results.
“Let us leave Herceg Novi with a clearer sense of responsibility for what comes next: what each of us will deliver, with whom, and by when,” he said.
Montenegro calls for faster and more accessible public services
Montenegro’s Minister of Public Administration, Marash Dukaj, who officially opened the summit, said digital transformation should fundamentally change how institutions serve citizens and businesses.
“Digital transformation is not only about introducing new technologies. It is about changing the way our institutions work and making public services simpler, faster and more accessible to citizens and businesses,” Dukaj said.
He said Montenegro’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process provided an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation and accelerate alignment with European digital standards.
The Berlin Process, which brings together Western Balkan governments and European partners, has made regional connectivity and economic integration key priorities.
Dukaj said exchanging practical solutions would help governments improve public administration and develop more secure and accessible digital services.
Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity dominate agenda
The summit’s opening session included representatives of the EU and regional institutions, including Bernard Brunet from the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Thomas Jarzombek from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation, CEFTA Secretariat Director Pranvera Kastrati and m:tel Executive Director Zoran Milovanović.
A ministerial panel representing the six Western Balkan economies, moderated by RCC Programme Department Head Danijela Gačević, examined regional digital cooperation and alignment with European standards.
Discussions on Oct. 13 and 14 are focusing on several areas:
- Digital identity systems and electronic wallets
- Cybersecurity and protection of digital infrastructure
- Artificial intelligence and its application in public administration
- Digital skills and the future of employment
- Digitalisation of local government and public services
- Online protection of children
- Startup development, innovation and business partnerships
Participants will also examine European Commission AI tools designed to support the EU accession process.
Bilateral and business-to-business meetings are intended to help translate policy discussions into partnerships among governments, technology companies and European institutions.
Digital integration as a pathway to EU membership
The summit highlights the growing importance of digital integration in the Western Balkans’ efforts to converge with the European Union.
While governments across the region have invested in electronic public services and digital infrastructure, making those systems compatible across borders remains a major challenge.
Interoperability could allow citizens and companies to access services more easily across the region, reducing administrative barriers and supporting cross-border economic activity.
For businesses, closer digital integration could simplify procedures and create opportunities to operate across a larger regional market.
For citizens, it could eventually mean easier access to digital identification, public administration and other electronic services beyond their home economies.
The RCC says the summit aims to advance a common regional digital agenda, strengthen cooperation and accelerate convergence with European standards.
Kapetanoviq’s message was that the region’s next phase of digital transformation should be judged not only by the technology governments introduce, but by how effectively their systems work together.