Cybersecurity as a Prerequisite for Digital Transformation and Societal Resilience

This was stated at the panel “Cybersecurity and Building a Secure Digital Environment,” held as part of the eighth Digital Summit of the Western Balkans in Herceg Novi, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration under the auspices of the Government of Montenegro, in partnership with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), and within Montenegro’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process. Denisa Kurtagić, Cybersecurity Programme Manager at the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), stressed that cybersecurity must not be the sole responsibility of IT teams and technical experts, but an issue that must also be addressed by the highest levels of management. Dušan Banović, Director of Service Development and Digital Transformation at Crnogorski Telekom, noted that telecommunications operators have a dual responsibility: to develop digital services that improve the user experience and to provide reliable communications infrastructure for citizens, businesses and public institutions. Speaking about the European regulatory framework, he highlighted the importance of the NIS 2 Directive, which promotes stronger cybersecurity and clearly defined responsibilities, as well as the need to protect critical entities from physical and digital threats. Hons also emphasized the importance of involving the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) in regional activities, assessing that cooperation with European institutions could contribute to the gradual alignment and integration of Western Balkan countries into European cybersecurity mechanisms and structures. Bukilić also warned about the dependence of digital systems on electricity, noting that in the event of a power outage or an attack on energy infrastructure, telecommunications and other essential services could be jeopardized without adequate backup power sources and continuity plans.