The Western Balkans is rapidly embracing e-governance as a key element of digital transformation. Research across six countries—Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia—shows significant progress in providing digital public services. These e-government portals allow citizens and businesses to access essential services online, from document management to specialized public services. However, the quality, accessibility, and promotion of these services vary widely.
What is E-Government?
E-government involves using information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver government services efficiently. Instead of visiting physical offices, citizens can complete tasks like applying for passports, paying taxes, and more through digital platforms. This smart governance approach is part of a broader movement toward good governance, aiming for cost-effectiveness, transparency, and service innovation.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for digital services, demonstrating how critical e-governance is in maintaining public services during crises.
Availability and Services Across the Western Balkans
Research by BIRN reveals that all six countries have active e-government portals. New services are regularly introduced, making digitalization a priority, although challenges remain. Countries like Serbia and Albania lead in providing a wide range of online services, while Kosovo is quickly catching up with its recently launched e-Kosova platform.
- Serbia offers 186 unique e-services, including education, healthcare, and urban planning. The Open Balkan initiative provides a common labor market between Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia, allowing citizens to access services across these countries.
- Albania has revolutionized its digital landscape, with e-Albania offering over 1,200 services to more than 3 million registered users.
- North Macedonia provides access to over 700 services through its portal, though only a fraction of these are fully digitalized.
Digital Inclusion and Accessibility
To ensure inclusivity, many e-government platforms provide manuals, FAQs, and tutorials to assist users. However, more needs to be done for vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with disabilities. For example, Serbia’s eUprava offers a “Read to Me” feature, providing audio guides to users with disabilities.
In contrast, countries like Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia still lack sufficient user support and accessibility features for these groups, making it challenging for all citizens to access digital services.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the progress, key challenges hinder the full potential of e-governance in the Western Balkans:
- Lack of Resources: Across all countries, experts cite inadequate funding and investment in digital transformation. As a result, many public institutions struggle to offer high-quality digital services.
- Cybersecurity Risks: With e-government platforms holding vast amounts of personal data, the risk of cyberattacks is high. All countries in the region have faced data breaches, with personal information being leaked on the dark web. Improving cybersecurity standards is crucial to safeguarding these services.
- Limited Promotion: Despite their availability, many citizens are unaware of the benefits of e-government. For example, 61% of Serbians lacked proper information on their eUprava portal in a 2023 survey.
Future Outlook
While the Western Balkans are making strides in digital governance, there’s a pressing need for greater investment, cybersecurity improvements, and user education. International funding from programs like EU Digital Europe offers some support, but more sustainable, long-term investments are essential.
As the region continues to embrace digital public services, the collaboration between governments, the private sector, and international organizations will be crucial in shaping a secure, inclusive, and efficient e-government ecosystem for all citizens.
Conclusion
The Western Balkans’ e-governance transformation is well underway, with digital platforms playing an increasingly vital role in everyday life. By addressing the challenges of investment, cybersecurity, and digital inclusivity, the region has the potential to become a leader in smart governance and digital public services.
For more insights on e-governance in the Western Balkans, check out the full BIRN research report.
