The Digital State and Infrastructure: Security vs. Functionality

The digitalization of public administration ranks among the declared priorities of the new government. Yet, its expansion brings with it a growing reliance of both the state and the wider economy on digital infrastructure, cloud services, data, and AI-driven systems. Alongside gains in efficiency, however, the spectrum of risks is widening—ranging from cyberattacks and systemic failures to a loss of trust in the digital services upon which both public and private entities depend.

While European regulations on cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection are tightening requirements, the responsibility for their practical implementation remains largely at the national level. The division of roles between the state, infrastructure operators, and technology providers remains ambiguous, as does the question of whether the pace of digitalization is outstripping the system’s capacity to ensure oversight, security, and control over increasingly complex solutions.

The decisive factor will not be the speed of the digital service rollout, but the ability to sustain their functionality, security, and credibility over the long term in an environment where the failure of a single link can compromise the entire digital ecosystem.

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