IDDEEA BiH and Deloitte Spain sign agreement on cybersecurity department feasibility study

Badnjevic said the project was supported by the Government of Spain, expressing his gratitude to Spanish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Maria Molina Alvarez de Toledo and the Spanish government for their support.

He stressed that it was particularly important for IDDEEA that Deloitte, which he described as one of the world’s largest consulting companies, had been selected to implement the project.

"This means a great deal to us as an agency, primarily because a European Union member state such as Spain has chosen Bosnia and Herzegovina and selected us as a reliable partner for implementing this feasibility study," Badnjevi" said.

According to him, the aim is to further improve digital transformation processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina through the project, particularly in the field of cybersecurity.

"If we do not have secure services for everything digital that we do, then the question arises as to why we are doing it," Badnjevic said, stressing that security is one of the most important elements of digitalization.

Explaining the details of the project, Badnjevic said Spain has the FIEM programme, a fund directly financed by the Spanish government through which it is possible to apply for projects implemented in cooperation between the two countries. IDDEEA, he said, together with Deloitte Spain and in cooperation with Deloitte Bosnia and Herzegovina, applied for the feasibility study project needed to develop a comprehensive cybersecurity department in Bosnia and Herzegovina, namely at IDDEEA.

"The Spanish government operates by allocating the funds to a Spanish company, in this case Deloitte Spain, meaning that IDDEEA will not receive any money. Instead, the entire amount will be paid to Deloitte Spain for the precisely defined activities that they have stated they will carry out at our agency," Badnjevic explained.

As a result of the project, IDDEEA expects comprehensive legal, organizational and procedural documentation, instructions and other materials needed for the further development and strengthening of the cybersecurity department, which already exists within the agency.

He added that the project would also draw on the experience of other institutions and organizations in Spain working in the field of cybersecurity, which should provide additional support to IDDEEA.

Badnjevic said the agreement represented a significant step forward for IDDEEA, as well as for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, given the growing importance of the security of digital services.

Deloitte Director Pablo Martinez Gonzales said that through the preparation of the feasibility study, the company would support the digitalization process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, stressing the importance of the security of digital systems and services.

He noted that Deloitte, as a global company, had the experience and capacity to implement projects of this kind, adding that the cooperation would result in a study defining the next steps in the development of cybersecurity at IDDEEA.

Spanish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Maria Molina Alvarez de Toledo said she was pleased that Spain could support IDDEEA and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the process of aligning with European standards.She stressed the importance of cooperation between Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina and support for projects that contribute to strengthening institutions and their capacities.