Ten Local Governments Recognized as Leaders in Delivering E-Services
At the closing conference of the "eGovernment for All" project, awards were presented today to ten local self-government units that successfully introduced new electronic services and applications and improved their digital infrastructure as part of the project.
The awards were presented to Bela Palanka, Beočin, Veliko Gradište, Vranje, Despotovac, Kragujevac, Niš, Pirot, Ćuprija, and Čačak, which achieved significant results throughout the implementation of the eGovernment for All project. These local governments introduced new electronic tools and services, including systems that facilitate communication between citizens and public administration, upgraded their digital infrastructure, and enabled access to key information systems such as eZUP, electronic document delivery, electronic records management systems, as well as electronic seals and signatures.
The event was attended by and featured remarks from Snežana Paunović, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government; Milan Latinović, Deputy Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment; Jakup Beriš, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Serbia; and Violeta Jovanović, Executive Director of NALED.
Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Snežana Paunović stated that the eGovernment for All project had delivered significant results.
"The technical and organizational capacities of a large number of local self-governments have been strengthened. New digital tools and services, including CRM systems, have been introduced, infrastructure has been upgraded, access to key registries through eZUP has been enabled, and a large number of public servants have completed training programs that further improve the quality of work and services. It is particularly important that this process has also improved communication models with citizens, as well as the exchange of knowledge and good practices among local governments, creating a solid foundation for the further development of a modern and efficient administration," Minister Paunović said.
She added that she believes the eGovernment for All project has left a lasting impact and laid strong foundations for the continued development of a modern, efficient, and accessible public administration—one that does not differentiate between large cities and small municipalities, but provides every citizen with services of equal quality.
Deputy Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment Milan Latinović emphasized that local governments had achieved significant progress in the quality and accessibility of services for citizens through dedicated work and strong cooperation.
"Thanks to the efforts of local governments within the project, digital infrastructure has been improved and conditions have been created for citizens to exercise their rights faster, more easily, and more efficiently. At the Office for IT and eGovernment, we believe that the essence of digitalization is making government more accessible to citizens. Serbia's achievements in the development of eGovernment confirm that we are on the right path. Today, the eGovernment Portal is used by more than 2.9 million registered eCitizens, and it is particularly significant that more than 560 million documents have been exchanged through official data-sharing mechanisms to date. This is one of the strongest indicators of how successfully we have reduced the need for citizens to collect documentation that the government already possesses," Latinović said.
He added that this is precisely why the eGovernment for All project represents an important step toward bringing the benefits of digitalization even closer to the local level.
"The true value of digital transformation lies not in the systems we create, but in how much they improve people's lives where they live and work. Local governments are the first point of contact between citizens and the state, which is why digital services must be tailored to their needs. UNDP remains firmly committed to supporting local governments in building a modern, accessible, and inclusive public administration designed for all citizens," said Jakup Beriš, UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia.
In the year marking NALED's 20th anniversary, Executive Director Violeta Jovanović highlighted that the success of reforms lies in their ability to reach every citizen.
"The eGovernment for All project has demonstrated that institutional partnerships can improve digital services at the local level and ensure that modern e-services are equally accessible across all parts of Serbia," Jovanović concluded.
The eGovernment for All project was jointly launched by the Office for IT and eGovernment, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and NALED, with the goal of ensuring that modern electronic services are equally accessible to citizens throughout Serbia, regardless of the size or capacity of their local self-government.
