European Commission launches digital agenda for western Balkans

SOFIA - The European Commission launched a Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans on Monday, aiming to bring the benefits of the digital transformation to the region.

Under the Digital Agenda, the European Commission and the Western Balkan countries commit to investing in broadband connectivity, increasing cybersecurity, trust and digitalization of industry, strengthening the digital economy and society, and boosting research and innovation.

"This is our joint initiative, which aims to make our economies and societies fully benefit from the digital transformation," European Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society Mariya Gabriel said at the launch ceremony.

People should take full advantage of the digitalization because it "is synonymous with opportunity and no one should be excluded", Gabriel said.

Digitalization was borderless, and was one of the best tools that would help to strengthen partnership between the European Union (EU) and the Western Balkans, she said.

"I see in the new technologies an accelerator for the countries of the Western Balkans on their way to European integration," Gabriel added.

Providing a tangible European perspective for the Western Balkans is one of Bulgaria's priorities during the country's six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, which ends this month.