18 September 2025, Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (CANU), Podgorica

Montenegro took another significant step toward a fully digital public administration during the panel “Metaregister and Interoperability – The Key to Digital Transformation of Public Administration”. The event brought together representatives from government institutions, academia, the business sector, and international organizations to discuss how interoperability and the metaregister can transform the way public services are delivered.

The distinguished panel featured:

• Dušan Polović, Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro
• Stefan Dedović, KU Leuven, Belgium
• Vladan Tabaš, company Čikom
• Bojana Bajić, Regional School of Public Administration – ReSPA
  Moderator: Academician Igor Đurović, Secretary of the Department of Natural Sciences, CANU

In his opening remarks, the moderator highlighted the metaregister as a cornerstone of digital transformation, providing a consolidated overview of all public registries, standardizing data, and enabling seamless interconnection. This, he explained, is essential for creating interoperable systems and delivering faster, more efficient services to citizens and businesses.

Representatives from the Ministry of Public Administration shared Montenegro’s progress in developing the metaregister while acknowledging ongoing challenges, including ensuring data accuracy and integrating registries across different government levels. The international perspective from KU Leuven showcased EU best practices and standards, offering valuable guidance for the country’s digital journey.

The business sector stressed the importance of open data as a catalyst for innovation, enabling new digital services and business models. Bojana Bajić from ReSPA highlighted its commitment to supporting regional cooperation, enhancing public servant capacities, and facilitating knowledge exchange in the areas of interoperability and metaregisters.

Panel discussions confirmed that interoperability extends beyond technology; it is also an institutional and organizational challenge, requiring strong coordination, political will, and continuous collaboration among all stakeholders. Panelists agreed that the metaregister is a key building block for an open, efficient, and citizen-oriented digital administration.

Key takeaways from the panel:

• The metaregister lays the foundation for advancing interoperability in Montenegro and the wider region.
• Stronger collaboration is essential among state institutions, local governments, international organizations, academia, and the private sector.
• EU experiences provide a roadmap for aligning and transposing interoperability standards.
• ReSPA will continue its support through training, knowledge sharing, and regional initiatives.

The panel drew significant attention from experts and the public alike, underscoring growing interest in digital governance. CANU reaffirmed its commitment to organizing future events on digital transformation, following the success of its recent roundtable on the Open Data Hub.