After successful cooperation in the previous year, representatives of the Ministry of Administration and AmCham met to discuss the introduction of card payments in offices under the authority of the Ministry of Public Administration, current activities as well as plans for the upcoming period.

The supporting infrastructure for introduction of card payments is for the most part in place. In 170 offices under the Ministry POS devices are set up. This represents approximately 80% of planed coverage. The card payments should be fully functional in June but are officially scheduled for September. 

Ms. Doko Jelušić presented AmCham’s position paper State of Play of Digitization in Croatia and Development of Artificial Intelligence and emphasized the need for management of digitization through a single state body that would have clearly defined authorities and budget. The body should be responsible for supporting the development of revolutionary technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as the development of digitization of Croatian public bodies and society. In order to avoid the sectoral and institutional fragmentation of the digitization process, all related initiatives and projects need to be monitored and guided through the said body. The Croatian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2020 is a great opportunity for the state. AmCham believes naming the digitization as one of the priorities of its presidency, Croatia can contribute to strengthening its own economy in the upcoming period.