Slovenia is committed to building a digital economy and society
Mohammad J Sear
Digital Gov. & Public Sector Consulting Leader, Middle East and Africa (MENA) at EY
Slovenia has become a leader in digital technologies, with some of the fastest internet speeds in Europe. As one of the most connected countries globally, Slovenia is working hard to support its economy through digitalisation. For example, many companies have moved their business-to-business transactions to Slovenian platforms.
The Slovenian government has invested heavily in e-government services and digital infrastructure to ensure the country's digital economy and society remain competitive.?
The results speak for themselves – citizens can access several government services online, including filing taxes and making social security payments, through the eUprava government portal. It is managed by the Ministry of Public Administration and is offering and developing eServices for citizens.
For years, Slovenia has been among the top countries in Europe in terms of internet connectivity and penetration. That helps public authorities to grow faster and allows citizens to take full advantage of online services to boost their productivity and quality of life. In 2020, 67% of Slovenians aged 16-74 used the internet to interact with public authorities, obtain information from government websites, or completed and sent interactive forms.
Slovenia's commitment to a digital economy and society
Slovenia's commitment to digitalisation is exemplified by the country's adoption of an e-government strategy. This strategy has enabled citizens to engage online in public administration, including electronic voting and submission of tax declarations.
The government has also begun investing in research and development. They are contributing to the goal of making Slovenia one of the most connected countries in Europe by 2025.
Additionally, Slovenia is working to help its economy through digitalisation efforts like increasing internet speeds and creating a business-friendly environment for technological investments. As more people become connected through electronic transactions, it will be possible for remote workers to increase their productivity while collaborating with coworkers in different locations.
How does a digital society work?
The idea of a digital society is that as more and more business transactions are done online, the economy will become leaner. In this way, it's less expensive for governments and/or companies to connect with their audiences.?
In Slovenia, digitalisation has been able to provide many benefits to the country. It’s helping achieve greater competitiveness while increasing the satisfaction of citizens who engage with the public administration. One of the most critical tools for promoting and implementing better regulation principles is the Stop the Bureaucracy website.? It helps make the decision-making open and transparent. It ensures that government actions are based on evidence and understanding the impacts.?
Digital identity and citizen data rights
Slovenia takes citizen data rights very seriously. It's committed to drafting new legislation to protect citizens and their data, as well as updating its electronic government infrastructure.
By 2030, Slovenia hopes to become a digital society with 100% coverage of fibre optics and internet access available to all citizens. That means that all schools, public institutions, and businesses will have access to high-speed internet. It also aims to improve its ranking according to the Digital Economy and Society Index. According to the 2021 report, Slovenia ranks 13th among the EU Member States and 9th in connectivity.
The Digital Slovenia 2030 Strategy is expected to focus on the following priority areas:
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The goal is to develop expertise in these fields so that they can be exported abroad while also benefiting domestic economic growth.
Clear vision and solid governance
The Ministry of Public Administration deals with the different policies and strategies on e-government and administrative processes. It has a clear vision of the country's future in which all citizens and businesses will be connected. It outlines the most important steps that need to be taken to achieve this vision through different strategies.
They are under constant review by both government ministers and civil society representatives, with input from the general public through social media channels. That's how the country's digital transformation has been a key factor in its economic growth and development. Moreover, Slovenia ranks 23 out of 193 countries in the global arena according to the EDGI Index 2020, a massive improvement in two years from it’s previous rank of 37.
What's next for digitalisation in Slovenia?
Slovenia has already achieved so much due to their investment in digitalisation. But there's still more work to be done! According to the OECD, "the Slovenian government should build on this social and economical digital eagerness and create a sense of urgency, leveraging the current digital disruptiveness to strengthen the country's economic development and social well-being."?
Today most e-services rely on qualified digital certificates issued by the public or private sector for authentication and e-signature. The thing is that this process is relatively complex for some users and can depend heavily on browser policies. If it wants to increase the trust of its citizens, the government should try to address security concerns and that of low interoperability. Also, it is crucial to ensure that the digital economy and digital government agendas are working in concert with one another.
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