Tracking progress, building resilience: key takeaways from CyberPulse 2025

• Stronger connectivity, smarter security, resilient future: Moderated by Danijela Gačević of RCC, this panel focused on cybersecurity priorities in the Western Balkans. Mr. Bardhyl Dobra, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from Pristina, highlighted challenges such as limited human resources, competition with the private sector, and reliance on external consultants, stressing the need to build internal capacity through improved education and training in the public sector. Mr. Naim Gjokaj, State Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration from Podgorica, also underscored capacity building as a top priority and the need for cooperation with NATO and the EU. Mr. Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski, Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation from Skopje, presented a new strategic framework that includes the establishment of a Ministry for Digital Transformation and a dedicated cybersecurity sector, aiming to strengthen institutional capacity, legal frameworks, and protection of critical infrastructure.
• Navigating cyber threats: the evolving role of AI and emerging technologies: Moderated by Mirza Jamaković from the Prosecutor’s Office in Sarajevo, this panel explored the impact of AI on cyber threats. Panellists noted that organised criminal groups are increasingly using AI for illegal content, phishing, and online fraud, with some even developing their large language models on the dark web. Emmanuel Kessler from Europol explained how machine learning helps analyse large amounts of data to understand criminal operations. Ms. Jelena Zelenović Matone from Women CyberForce and Women4Cyber discussed the challenges of AI model transparency and the need for explainable AI outcomes. Nenad Bogunović from the cybercrime unit in Belgrade presented a forensic tool to detect AI-generated content and announced a project aimed at helping citizens check for internet fraud. Mr. Amar Dedović from Oracle warned against the unsafe use of AI tools in corporate environments, highlighting the risk of users inputting confidential data into unsecured generative AI systems.
• Empowering talent: skill-building for the future in WB – Moderated by Andreja Mihailović from Women4Cyber in Podgorica, this session focused on advancing skills development in cybersecurity, with particular attention to the underrepresentation of women and young professionals. Ms. Tamara Tafra, Deputy Minister of Foreign and European Affairs from Zagreb, cited the UN Cybersecurity Working Group as an example of successful international cooperation that increased female participation from 30% in 2019 to 52% last year. Mr. Igli Tafa, Director of the Cybersecurity Agency from Tirana, emphasised the need for educational reform, including reinventing curricula from primary school through university, and stronger regional cooperation. Mr. Andi Dobrushi from the Open Society Foundation highlighted the importance of redirecting young people from the “grey digital zone” to formal sectors to address workforce shortages, noting concerns about increased cryptocurrency mining and potential money laundering among youth. Mr. Fabio di Franco from ENISA emphasised the need for a specialised sectoral division of responsibilities within large public administration organisations to manage cybersecurity effectively.
• Integrating experience and strategy: a multisector dialogue on SOC advancement: Moderated by Vanja Madžgalj from the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, this panel facilitated an exchange of knowledge on developing Security Operations Centres (SOCs). Mr. Franc Zyliftari, Head of the Incident Response Team from Tirana, shared experiences following the 2022 cyberattack, which prompted accelerated development of cybersecurity capacity and strengthened preventive measures. Mr. Philippe Gillet from Gatewatcher in Paris discussed differences in threat intelligence usage between the public and private sectors, noting that private companies are more inclined towards open communication and data sharing. Aleksandar Acev from Cyber Balkans in Skopje emphasised the importance of aligning policy, legal regulation, and intersectoral cooperation for effective cybersecurity, mentioning a new law that designates the Ministry for Digital Transformation as the central authority for setting security standards.
• Sectors united against cyber threats: building bridges across sectors: Moderated by Milan Sekuloski from e-Governance Academy from Tallinn, this panel explored the complementary roles of public and private sectors, academia, and civil society in advancing cybersecurity. Mr. Lulezon Jagxhiu from the Prime Minister’s Cabinet in Pristina stressed that cybersecurity must be a shared responsibility and emphasised the importance of inter-sector collaboration for critical infrastructure initiatives. Mr. Predrag Puharić from the Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in Sarajevo highlighted the need to support civil society in protecting digital assets by promoting cyber hygiene and developing targeted tools and training. Ivona Dabetić from NGO Secure from Podgorica emphasised operation among sectors, noting that each sector contributes unique strengths: private with technical expertise, public with systemic support, academia with research, and NGOs as bridges to communities. Mr. Roy Yarom from the EBRD presented the Bank’s approach, linking investment with technical support and capacity building, especially in energy, telecommunications, and finance sectors, where digitalisation introduces significant security risks.

The conference concluded that cybersecurity is no longer merely a technical issue but a strategic priority requiring long-term cooperation, education, a robust legislative framework, and investment in human resources. Regional resilience to cyber threats can only be achieved through a coordinated approach and active information exchange among all relevant stakeholders.