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Cyber governance and institution-building in the Western Balkans
A wide take
Digitalisation plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and governance reforms in the Western Balkans. By investing in robust digital infrastructure and developing cyber governance frameworks, Western Balkan governments can reduce costs, improve transparency and attract foreign investment. This, in turn, boosts productivity, creates jobs and leads to sustainable economic development. However, such progress also introduces new risks.
In 2024, the Western Balkans faced a surge in cyberattacks, targeting sectors like government, financial services and critical infrastructure, causing substantial economic losses and service disturbances. The increasing sophistication of these attacks underscores the urgency for enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Several Western Balkan countries have taken steps to implement advanced cybersecurity frameworks, invest in state-of-the-art technologies and foster regional cooperation. eGA has played a crucial role in supporting these efforts by offering expertise and resources to strengthen the region’s cyber defences.
For example, Albania, drawing from its experience with major cyberattacks in 2022, adopted comprehensive EU-aligned legislation in 2024 to strengthen cyber resilience. Under the EU-funded “Cyber Balkans” project, eGA experts supported Albania’s national cybersecurity authority (AKSK) in defining critical assets and entities, ensuring better national coordination and readiness for major cyber incidents. This project also helped test national coordination in both Albania and Kosovo in 2024 via high-level table-top exercises. Acknowledging the complexities of cybersecurity, the project also focused on cross-sector cooperation by supporting pioneering efforts in enhancing the financial Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) in Serbia and facilitating CSIRT expert peer exchanges across the region.
In 2024, eGA also supported Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia through the EU-funded “Cybersecurity Rapid Response 2.0” project. This project strengthened Montenegro’s government cybersecurity posture by helping them establish a state-of-the-art governmental Security Operations Centre (SOC) and provided North Macedonian institutions with hands-on technical support to secure their presidential and parliamentary elections from cyber threats.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, eGA collaborated with NATO to evaluate potential support for the country’s national cyber defence capabilities. Recognising that cybersecurity is as much about people as it is about processes and technologies, eGA made sure that its projects continued to prioritise expert training and provide guidance on effective strategies for attracting and retaining cybersecurity staff.
Key takeaways from 2024
- Cybersecurity will be fundamentally important for regional development. Adopting new (digital) technologies helps the region catch up with more developed European countries and will remain a cornerstone of future regional development. However, this also means that potential disturbances from cyber threats will have a higher impact, making their prevention a top priority for any forward-looking development policy.
- Combating cyber threats is complex and requires a holistic approach. Adapting legal frameworks without communicating and socialising changes with various stakeholders will not bring about the desired resilience. No single governmental or private sector actor will be able to tackle threats on their own. Everyone, from government and private companies to academia, civil society and citizens, has an important role to play in building cyber-resilient digital ecosystems.
- Regional and international cooperation is vital. Despite the challenges, Western Balkan economies and governments can share valuable lessons with each other. Effective cooperation can multiply the region’s cybersecurity capabilities to identify and respond to threats effectively. The EU, along with other like-minded donors and implementing partners like eGA, remains a reliable and committed partner in supporting the Western Balkans’ journey towards a prosperous and secure digital future.
