National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Committee on Education, Science, Technological Development and the Information Society Academician Muamer Zukorlic said this was the Committee's second public hearing on digital security, praising the work of the Subcommittee on the Information Society and Digitalisation at whose initiative the hearing was organised.

Zukorlic said that the opening of the State Data Centre in Kragujevac is a significant step forward and development, because investments such as this one give other cities, besides Belgrade, an important place in the country. Zukorlic added that though it is vital to follow the trends in the field of information technologies, we should never forget the man, who is the goal in the essential, spiritual and ethical sense, and his protection and security. With it in mind, through the topics and presentations handled at this public hearing, we will show that the state is aware and has a clear vision and the mechanisms to protect people and achieve information security, Zukorlic concluded.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Dr Vladimir Orlic said that the State Data Centre is important and recognised service for the citizens, not only in our country, but in the world at large, emphasising that its opening in Kragujevac is an example of positive change. Such a change would not be possible without the policy of the current Government, whose vision was set in 2014, and the policy of President Aleksandar Vucic, Orlic pointed out, adding that this is something that will remain as a point of pride and use for generations ahead us.

The Chairperson of the Subcommittee on the Information Society and Digitalisation Marina Ragus said out that the State Data Centre is a great success of the Serbian Government’s IT Office opining that we have now entered a new era in which we can compete with global powers in the field. Ragus added that she expected good presentations and a constructive discussion by the participants in the public hearing.

The Director of the Office for IT and e-Government Dr Mihailo Jovanovic and Assistant Director Slavisa Antic spoke about the State Data Centre’s results and future work plans, as well as the Centre’s technical and commercial aspects and information security.

Acting Assistant Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Sava Savic, Assistant Minister of the Interior Slobodan Nedeljkovic, UNDP’s Slobodan Markovic and PC Press representative Luka Milinkovic spoke about information security and data protection.

The public hearing was supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).