“E‑Society: Digital transformation has no worth if citizens are still waiting for services at the counter” — Meta.mk

Integrity is a condition for true digital transformation, which is not worth it if citizens continue to wait in line at the counter for services. This was one of the points highlighted at today’s 21st edition of the international conference e-Society.mk, on the topic “Integrity at the Core of Digital Transformation.” The event, organized by the Metamorphosis Foundation, brought together domestic and international experts, media representatives, institutions, and diplomatic missions to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the new digital era

This year’s conference was opened by Bardhyl Jashari, Executive Director of the Metamorphosis Foundation, who emphasized that digital transformation must not be understood solely as a technological process, but as a fundamental social change in which integrity plays a key role.

“When we chose the topic of this conference, we had three dimensions in mind. First, institutional integrity. Second, the human approach to artificial intelligence (AI). We must ask ourselves: are systems designed with human rights in mind, or are they becoming black boxes? Integrity in AI means transparency and fair algorithms. The third aspect is human integrity: citizens’ resilience to disinformation and their ability to think critically. Digital transformation must mean a better life, services without queues, without fear of data misuse, and without endless bureaucratic steps. If we are not achieving that, then we have not transformed anything, we have only added a digital layer to inefficiency,” emphasized Director Jashari in his opening address.

He issued a clear call to institutions, the international community, and civil society to jointly build a digital society in which technology serves human dignity, and integrity is the guiding principle in every reform.

“My call today to institutions: let us turn strategies into concrete reforms. Let us work together, open the doors to true partnership, and make services functional for citizens. To the international community: continue to hold us to high standards. Help us integrate into mechanisms like Democracy Shield, not as passive recipients, but as active partners. Support us in maintaining, using, and disseminating not only expertise, but also the democratic potential that you have helped build in the civil society sector. To civil society: let us continue to engage in policy-making. Let us educate and inform citizens about technology, its challenges, and its benefits. Let us be guardians of integrity. Let us ensure that, when we look back on this digital age, we do not just see that we bought new computers or smartphones. Let us see that we have built a society where technology serves human dignity, where services are efficient, and where integrity is not just a goal, but a guiding principle in everything we do,” Jashari concluded.

Andonovski: Without integrity, digital transformation can become a tool for discrimination

The Minister of Digital Transformation, Stefan Andonovski, in his address as part of the opening ceremony, emphasized that digital transformation is a profound social change that will bring new opportunities for citizens and businesses, but only if it is based on the rule of law and human rights.

“Digital transformation is a profound social change that can bring more efficient services to citizens and new opportunities for doing business. However, without the rule of law and respect for human rights, it can become a tool for discrimination and manipulation. We need to build a modern, safe and inclusive digital society that will serve citizens. The integrity of institutions is important and should be at the service of citizens and companies. According to the latest figures, the number of citizens using the e-services portal has increased, which allows them to access services on their smartphone, without waiting at the counter,” Andonovski noted.

He added that officials at the ministry are working on establishing free Wi-Fi zones

“They should not be a privilege, but a right for all citizens in the country. In addition, more than 35 institutions are connected and share documents without papers. Another aspect is responsible AI. AI brings enormous potential and risks for privacy, discrimination, and information manipulation. We are working on pilot projects, next week we will have the data.gov.mk portal, which will use a chatbot that will make it easier to place information. AI without a clear strategy exposes citizens to risks. That is why we are creating a framework and guidelines aligned with standards. At this conference, we can discuss these issues. When we talk about integrity, three things are important–safe citizens, accessible institutions, and targeted innovations. This needs to become a reality so that citizens feel the benefits of the changes we are making. For this, we need a partnership with all of you, as well as with international partners,” Andonovski emphasized and thanked Metamorphosis for not leaving this topic on the margins, but for giving it significant importance and placing it at the center.

Ben Nupnau: Macedonia can be a leader in digital transformation

The Deputy Ambassador of the EU Delegation, Ben Nupnau, recalled that integrity and human rights are key to successful digital transformation and that Macedonia is already actively participating in European initiatives in this field.

“We must have a solid infrastructure – cybersecurity and media literacy. We must align with European standards, align with the ideals of the EU. Citizens benefit from these policies, and Macedonia is an active member of the European AI Network through the “Vezilka” project. We will continue to work with you on the problems of disinformation. Countries outside the EU can apply the tools that will maintain information security. Using the resources, Macedonia can be a leader in digital transformation. We are working together to secure the digital space and protect it from harmful influences,” Napnau emphasized.

Le Rigoleur: It is a collective responsibility to develop digital transformation ethically

The French Ambassador, Christophe Le Rigoleur, recalled that the fight against disinformation is one of the top priorities of French foreign policy.

“The topic of integrity is linked to respect for human rights in all societies. This is an annual conference of Metamorphosis that talks about relevant topics. Today we are talking about protecting citizens on the Internet, we are talking about the challenges that come from the digital transformation. For the digital transformation to succeed and to foster economic growth, these efforts must advance even further. This topic reminds us that the digital transformation is a tool that we must use responsibly. On a global level, France is deeply involved in the digital space of the Western Balkan countries and will continue to support North Macedonia,” said Le Rigoleur in his address to the attendees.

Bakel: Information integrity is the foundation of democracy

The Regional Stability Coordinator at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Jantine Bakel, warned that the world is flooded with disinformation from domestic and foreign actors, which leads to the erosion of the integrity of information, and therefore, according to her, it is important that the information on which we build opinions is credible and trustworhy.

“The Netherlands therefore supports organizations in the fight against disinformation. Many journalists have strengthened their capacities to recognize and document and report on foreign influence. In this way, they help citizens understand this struggle and reduce the damage. Successful strategies that are applied here can also be useful for us. We believe that digital transformation should serve society, and not the other way around. Digital systems transform administrations, health, education, and security. When they work ethically, they empower citizens, otherwise they reduce democratic values. Non-discrimination should be at the core of every decision. Citizens should know how their data is used. In the Netherlands, we see human rights as something that is not discussed, governments must show that digital technology is used responsibly. The Netherlands remains committed to working with you on this important topic,” said Jantine.

How resistant are you to anti-democratic influences?

Attendees at the event took an interactive quiz to test their resistance to anti-democratic influences. The questions covered the most common sources of information, trust in conspiracy theories, and views on climate change.

“According to Metamorphosis research, citizens most often get informed through personal contacts and television. It is worrying that a significant number of respondents believe that there is a ‘secret group’ that controls global events, including wars, which indicates the widespread prevalence of conspiracy theories. Even more alarming is that some citizens believe that climate change is a fabrication, which reflects the impact of disinformation on public perception,” said Despina Kovachevska, Media Specialist at Metamorphosis.

As she pointed out, it is encouraging that citizens recognize that disinformation is a serious problem, although they admit that they have difficulty distinguishing it.

“The majority of citizens expect the Government to take measures to protect against disinformation and ensure integrity in the public space. In that regard, we, as Metamorphosis, have prepared a roadmap for protecting democracy from disinformation threats, which requires coordinated action by all stakeholders. In this sense, financial support is also key, because anti-democratic actors have significant resources. Our goal is to act together strategically and, ultimately, to provide a regional strategy in the Western Balkans for stronger cooperation against these influences,” Kovachevska stressed.

The public opinion survey report by the Metamorphosis Foundation will soon be publicly available.

The conference continues throughout the day at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Skopje. In the afternoon, the “Ilija Županovski” Award will be presented for exceptional achievements in the fight against disinformation.