European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milojko Spajić, officially opened the new Government Security Operations Centre (GSOC) in Podgorica.

This body, co-funded by the European Union and operating within the Ministry of Public Administration, represents a critical step in strengthening Montenegro's cyber defence, following the recent severe cyberattacks that the country has endured.

Developed under the EU’s Rapid Response Initiative, the GSOC plays a vital role in detecting and responding to the challenges of cybersecurity. This regional project, managed by the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) and implemented by the Estonian non-governmental organisation e-Governance Academy, assists governments in accelerating capacity-building in cybersecurity in line with European standards (particularly the Network and Information Security Directive 2 – NIS 2). With a budget of €4.4 million, the EU supports Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia in bolstering their response to the rising cyber threats.

The EU-funded project has enabled the hiring of expert personnel, the provision of facilities and hardware for continuous monitoring, as well as numerous capacity-building initiatives, including training and certification programmes.

The opening of the GSOC highlights the strong partnership between Montenegro and the European Union in addressing common cybersecurity challenges and ensuring the resilience of public services and critical infrastructure across the region.