The seventh edition of the Western Balkan Digital Summit (WBDS), co -organized by the Northern Macedonian Government and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), was held in Skopje today, re -confirmed the region’s commitment to digital transformation, cooperation and European integration.
In his main speech, the RCC Secretary General, Amer Kapetanović, emphasized the progress achieved and priorities ahead. “Digitalization is not only a goal, but a transformative force. The success of our ‘Roam Like At Home’ regime shows what the region can achieve when working together. Now we have to take the next steps: building digital portfolios that interact, advancement of belief services, approximation with the Digital EU and assurance of young business and tools for the digital era, ”Kapetanović said.
At the opening of the Samiat, the Prime Minister of the North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, underlined the importance of investment in digitalization for the prosperity and stability of the region. He said that once people begin to see concrete results from digital transformation, confidence increases and a moment that promotes further progress and innovation.
The partners were also speaking at the summit: Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology in the European Commission; Thomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU); Thomas Jarzumbek, Secretary of Parliamentary State at the German Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Modernization of Governance; and Svyatoslav Senyuta, regional leader of government solutions in Visa. They emphasized the importance of regional cooperation, approximation with the EU and partnerships with the private sector to advance the digital agenda.
During the summit, Danijela Gačević, Head of Program Department at RCC, moderated the ministerial panel entitled “Digitalization as Standard – making public administration function for all”, attended by ministers and senior officials from the entire Western Balkans, including: Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Economy and Innovation; Marash Dukaj, Montenegrin Minister of Public Administration; Stefan Andonovski, Minister of the Digital Transformation of Northern Macedonia; Slaviša Antić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Technology of Serbia; Getoar Doctor, Kosovo Deputy Minister of Economy; and Almir Badnjević, Director of Iddeea of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During two days, WBDS 2025 participants-decision makers, experts, businesses and innovators from the entire Western Balkans, the EU and beyond-discussed digital services, electronic portfolio, interaction, artificial intelligence, cyber security, e-services and skills development.
The Western Balkans Digital Summit is organized in the framework of the action plan for the common regional market and the EU growth plan, and co-financed by the European Union.
