The Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Aleksandar Martinović, PhD, has stressed today in his address at the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), during the presentation of the results of the “Modernized Programme Concept of NAPA 2020-2025”, that the goal of the professional development reform in public administration was the cultural transformation and modernization of administration through the strengthening of administrative capacities.
He has noted that it is particularly important for this process to include equally the public administration and local self-government, which is the closest to the citizens and the first place they visit in exercising their many rights and obligations.
Emphasizing that NAPA is a reliable partner of MDULS in the implementation of plans for the development of personnel capacities and professional development of employees in the public administration, the minister has expressed his belief that the multidisciplinary agenda of knowledge and skills, developed by NAPA, will help the improvement and practice of a new way of behaviour, thinking and impact on the implementation of reform and development plans.
Martinović has also referred to the fact that, according to the data at his disposal, the eGovernment portal is currently utilized by more than 1.5 million citizens of Serbia.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, has pointed out that, according to the UN report, Serbia is one of the ten countries that have made the fastest progress in terms of electronic administration.
Brnabić has noted that electronic administration is a way for state bodies and local government organizations to be at service to the citizens at all times, and has pointed out that the plan is to provide internet access to all citizens in Serbia by 2025.
The Prime Minister has explained that this concerns an investment in the amount of EUR 500 million, half of which would be provided by the State, and half by private partners, adding that activities in respect of digital literacy of the elderly population are also implemented in cooperation with UNDP.
She has recalled that prior to the establishment of the National Academy of Public Administration, there was no mechanism for providing assistance and educating staff at local self-governments, so we began to train civil servants at the local level in a systematic way for the first time ever.
Minister of Information and Telecommunications, Mihailo Jovanović, has pointed out that after five years and following the introduction of an information system, under which 10,000 persons have been employed and which enabled the exchange of five million documents, the public administration is taking a step further towards introducing a modern, eOffice.
The UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Serbia, Yakup Beris, has announced that this organization will continue to provide assistance to the National Academy of Public Administration, emphasizing that learning tools via smartphones shall be made available next year.
The Ambassador of Sweden to Serbia, Annika Ben David, has said that the modernization and digitization of public administration is the path to transparency in the work of state institutions, expressing her satisfaction with the fact that Sweden is participating and supporting this project.
The Acting Director of the National Academy of Public Administration, Dejan Miletić, has presented the Prime Minister Brnabić with the NAPA “Honorary Ambassador” award.
Photo gallery – source: NAPA
