State Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Tourism, and Telecommunications Tatjana Matić has said at the conference “Synergy17: Business Day”, that Serbia’s joining the fourth industrial revolution needs an additional speed-up.

“The key commitment to the digitalisation has been strategically defined in the programme of Serbian Government, based not only on the undoubted benefit this process is bringing along, but also based on the potentials of Serbia shown by the constant growth”, says Ms Matić, stating that compared to the previous year, the use of digital technologies in economy and society has increased.

“We have seen the growth of income on the telecommunication market, and the growth of export of communication services, while we have the growth of the number of IT entrepreneurs, and technological hubs”, she added, with a note that a faster development of this sector requires additional investments, especially when it comes to the infrastructure, incentives for the industry and staff development.

She has said that for the development of the IT industry, of great significance is the adoption of the Law on Electronic Document, Electronic Identification, and Trust Services in Electronic Transactions, adopted last week in the Serbian Parliament.

This law will develop not only the digitalisation of the business, but also facilitate and speed-up the communication of citizens with the public administration bodies”, she underlined, adding that for the regulation in the ICT sector, the yesterday’s decision of the Serbian Government to adopt the Proposal of the Law on Electronic Communications, which is to contribute to network development, is very important.

She has reminded that the Strategy of IZ Industry has been adopted as well, and that the Strategy of New Network Development has been prepared.

“Education and promotion are equally important as the investment in the infrastructure and establishment of the legal regulation of digitalisation. Serbia therefore expects from the private sector to, hand in hand with the production and application of new contents and encouragement of the management for creation of a favourable business environment, contributes to the digital literacy and engagement of citizens in the process of digital transformation”, Ms Tatjana Matić has concluded.