“By using the Internet, the public administration makes its operations closer to citizens and companies. E-government contributes to the acceleration of the process of transition to the economy based on know-how, through an easier access and use of the public administration services,” said Jasna Matić, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society at a meeting of the Special Working Group for E-Government Development in the Republic of Serbia and representatives of American Chamber of Commerce.

“Companies benefit from a lower administrative burden, which contributes to efficiency and economic growth. More importantly, a more open and interactive public administration can stimulate civil participation in the democratic process. A transfer to e-government includes major changes in internal working procedures of the administration, which can be very complex to implement. Therefore, a challenge for the administration is to adjust to and introduce innovative methods of work, including sound and stable partnerships with the private sector,” said Minister Matić.

As the largest voluntary association of investors, American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) constantly underlines the significance of the e-government introduction in Serbia. President of the AmCham Information and Communications Technology Committee, Svjetlana Brekić, has said that the implementation of e-government would significantly increase the efficiency of the public administration.

“Reduced bureaucracy, faster administrative procedures, lower operating costs, and higher service quality are expected after the introduction of e-government in Serbia,” added Brekić. The introduction of e-government in all authority bodies will lead to an upgrade of the Government’s services towards citizens, improved interaction with the business sector, and more efficient management in Serbia.

Members of the Special Working Group have agreed that electronisation of activities of the public administration is necessary in order to ensure that the Republic of Serbia fully uses potentials provided by the information society and avoids distancing from the European Union in regard to digitalisation.

American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia (AmCham) represents 180 international and local companies, with overall investments exceeding USD6 billion and employing more than 60,000 people in Serbia. The mission of American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia is to promote best American business practice, values and responsible partnership between the United States of America and Serbia leading to the economic growth through trade and investments.