Dejan Ristić, Serbia’s Minister of Information and Telecommunications, announced that 2024 has been a record year for the country’s ICT sector, with more than 4 billion euros in surplus from the export of ICT services and products. He also revealed that the process for the introduction of 5G network services in Serbia should be completed by mid-2025.
“Compared to 2023, which was a record year at the time, 2024 shows consistent growth of 20% compared to the previous year. In 2023, we had a surplus of 3.44 billion euros from the export of ICT services and products. We’ve reached that level in the first 10 months of this year. Additionally, 115,000 people are employed in the ICT sector, with average salaries close to 250,000 dinars net. Employment in this sector is growing by 3-5% annually,” Ristić told Tanjug. He highlighted that in 2023, every eighth dinar created in Serbia came from the ICT sector.
“When we consider the results from 2024, where all parameters show a 20% increase, it’s clear that the ICT sector is the fastest-growing and most profitable sector in Serbia. This is perhaps the greatest achievement of the Ministry and all our partners within the ICT community in Serbia,” Ristić added.
He also mentioned that the Ministry continues to work on innovating the legal framework to match the dynamic nature of the ICT sector. Efforts are also focused on expanding existing capacities and building new science and technology parks, further developing Serbian startups, research, and innovation centers.
“For the first time this year, the Ministry is launching a competition to provide financial support for the development of small and medium-sized Serbian IT companies. This will be done with 30% of the funding as grants and 70% through the most favorable loans. We want to provide an additional boost to the strengthening of Serbia’s IT sector,” Ristić said.
Ristić pointed out that Serbia’s international cooperation has intensified in the past year, with several bilateral agreements signed to increase the presence of Serbia’s ICT sector in the economies of other countries.
He reminded the public that last year, the procedure for renewing licenses for 2G, 3G, and 4G networks began, involving international auctions that will be completed by mid-2025. Additionally, in September of the previous year, Serbia initiated the long-awaited procedure for introducing a 5G network, with the international auction being the most important phase of the process.
He also emphasized that the Ministry completed the “Connected Schools” project, which provided internet access to all 3,800 school buildings in Serbia. This initiative enabled more than 750,000 students and over 100,000 teachers to use the internet for free, ensuring that over 850,000 citizens now have access to high-quality internet in school facilities across the country, from urban centers to rural areas.
Ristić revealed that at the end of last year, the Ministry began the second phase of a project aimed at providing broadband internet to rural areas of Serbia, involving more than 4,500 kilometers of optical fiber cables. This initiative mirrors the approach taken by leading developed countries, ensuring that where commercial operators are not interested, the government steps in to provide equal internet access to citizens and businesses in rural areas.
Ristić believes that Serbia is now recognized as a global leader in ICT development. “Serbia is seen as one of the leaders in the ICT sector, not only in the region but in Europe and worldwide. It is often said that we have made an incredible transformation, going from ‘zero to hero’—from having almost no ICT sector to developing one of the most advanced ICT economies, with science and technology parks, hundreds of startups, research centers, and scientific institutes,” he said.
Looking ahead to 2025, Ristić expressed confidence and optimism, stating that Serbia can be proud of its achievements in the ICT sector in 2024.
He also noted that in late 2023, in coordination with the European Commission, the Ministry prepared amendments to three media laws, with input from the media community and international experts. These amendments are expected to be reviewed by the Serbian Parliament in the upcoming sessions.
Regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public information, Ristić acknowledged the challenges faced globally and emphasized that the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation is preparing a legal framework to regulate AI usage. He assured that the law would be adopted in 2025 and that Serbia is aligning with the European Union’s regulations for AI development.
On the digitalization of Serbia’s tourism sector, Ristić announced that the project was completed, with the first phase to be unveiled to the public at the National Museum of Serbia in celebration of the national holiday, Sretenje. This project, which is being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Tourism, aims to enhance Serbia’s tourism offerings.
Ristić also shared an update on the National Contact Center for Online Safety for Children, a unique institutional framework in Europe designed to protect children on the internet. The center has seen an increase in the number of reports from children, parents, grandparents, and teachers, showing that people are now more confident in reaching out for help. In 2024, the National Contact Center extended its educational programs to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, with plans to expand to Slovenia, Croatia and North Macedonia this year.
Ristić concluded by mentioning that several countries, including Israel and several Western nations, are interested in adopting Serbia’s model for child internet safety, further highlighting Serbia’s leadership in this area.
