Zvornik receives a "Digital Transformation Roadmap"

12.04.2023.

The rapid integration of digital technologies into the daily work of public administration is reshaping modern society. This shift also changes the expectations of citizens and the business community in their interactions with public institutions. Meeting these evolving expectations presents a major challenge for employees within city administrations. According to the Mayor of Zvornik, Bojan Ivanović, the City has demonstrated strong commitment from all municipal employees, as well as consistent support from the City Assembly, to remove obstacles that hinder digital transformation.

“We joined this project with the intention of improving and modernising the services we provide to our citizens—to make it easier for them to access documentation under the responsibility of the City Administration. I also believe it is important to follow global trends in digitalisation, to adapt, and to always prioritise the needs and benefits for our citizens. This approach accelerates and simplifies work processes, making the services we deliver more efficient and faster,” said Kristina Erak, Operations Manager at Bit Alliance and Project Manager for “Smart Cities – Towards the Digital Transformation of Cities in BiH.”

The consultant for the development of this document in Zvornik was Aleksandar Mastilović, and the pilot project implemented alongside it was the application for reporting communal issues, “Građanska patrola.” Bosnia and Herzegovina is at the very beginning of its digital transformation journey, and local governments currently lack a dedicated digital transformation agenda. Every investment into digital transformation today creates future savings that will be felt over time. The City of Zvornik has demonstrated readiness, and project partners are satisfied with the achieved cooperation, Erak noted.

“The Digital Transformation Roadmap is a comprehensive action plan with clear steps, measures, and financial projections for the period until the end of 2025. By adopting this Roadmap as a strategic document, the City of Zvornik is entering a process of improving public administration services and enhancing the quality of life for all residents. We are pleased that the City of Zvornik is a leader in this field and one of the five local governments participating in the project.”

Digital transformation is a process that begins with an assessment of the current state, followed by the structured planning of a digital transformation roadmap. Goals and activity plans have been established, along with an evaluation system and continuous monitoring of implemented projects.

“The City of Zvornik has recently done a great deal in terms of self-assessment and analysing its capacities for digital transformation. Through cooperation with all departments, services, public institutions, and companies, we collected essential documents and procedures and began work on open data and improving cybersecurity. These are the first steps in the broader digitalisation of our procedures and processes, all with the aim of providing higher-quality services to our citizens,” said Biljana Milić, Project Coordinator in Zvornik.

Implementing digital transformation in Zvornik will lead to higher-quality services, more efficient operations, significant cost savings, greater openness, and improved user satisfaction—all of which contribute to better interaction and increased citizen participation in decision-making processes. The City of Zvornik is part of a project aimed at strengthening the capacities of selected local governments and modernising services through technology and the smart city concept. The project is implemented by GIZ (German Development Cooperation) in partnership with Lanaco, DVC Solutions, and Bit Alliance.