Technical sovereignty is not just about managing technology and infrastructure. This is the power over its own digital space, the ability of the state to make independent decisions in the field of technology, data protection, cybersecurity and innovative development, independent of external actors and large technology corporations.

But what happens when two small European countries in the Balkans face one of the most important challenges of the 21st century — to control their own digital future in the era of global technologization?

Two Paths to the Same Goal

Montenegro has chosen the path of integration. Being a small country on the Adriatic coast, it has adopted the logic of European development: to join common standards, invest in digital infrastructure in accordance with European standards, and implement systems that the European Union already uses. This country is building smart cities, modernizing the tourism industry through digitalization, developing 5G networks, and investing in renewable energy sources.

Albania has chosen the path of experimentation. This country, which for so long suffered from the reputation of a financial center of dubious transactions, suddenly turned into a kind of technological laboratory in Europe.

Bold ideas that other countries are afraid to even offer are being tested here. But what is the fundamental difference between these two approaches? And does one of them really provide greater technical sovereignty than the other?

The Depth of Digital Transformation: From Visible to Invisible

When we talk about digitalization, we usually mean visible changes: fast Internet, mobile applications for government services, online payments. Montenegro has invested in these visible symbols of modernization. Her government is developing digital services, implementing resource management systems at resorts, and building infrastructure for the tourism business. But Albania has gone further — into a zone that most states consider forbidden.

She began experimenting with radically replacing the very mechanism of government with artificial intelligence. And here a paradoxical question arises: if a state transfers procurement decision-making to an algorithm, does this mean that it has lost technical sovereignty, or, on the contrary, has achieved it? The visible (as in the case of Montenegro) does not always mean the real.

Beautiful digital interfaces, fast networks, smart cities — these may just be tools developed by foreign corporations and adapted to local conditions. But the invisible (as in the case of Albania) — those profound changes in the structure of state power — can mean something completely different: seizing control over one's own decision-making system, getting rid of the human factor, which is often a source of subordination to external interests.

The e-Albania Platform and Sovereignty Over Citizens’ Data

Albania has created the e-Albania platform, which allows citizens to access 95% of government services in digital format. Does it sound like a common upgrade achievement? But that's not quite true. Artificial intelligence is working on this platform, which not only processes requests, but analyzes, learns, and offers optimal solutions. The question that arises from this is: where are the citizens’ data stored? What kind of infrastructure does this artificial intelligence work on? In the USA? In Europe?

On Albania's own servers? Montenegro, following European standards, must comply with GDPR — the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union. This means that citizens' data is protected by universal European standards.

This is security, but it is also a loss of independence: Montenegro cannot choose its own ways of protecting data, it follows someone else's rules. Albania can choose. It can create its own data protection standards, its own encryption, and its own algorithms. But does this mean that Albania really has more sovereignty?

Energy Independence as the Basis of Technical Sovereignty

There is one factor that is often overlooked when discussing technical sovereignty: energy. No servers work without electricity, no digital systems function without stable power supply. Montenegro is investing in solar power plants. The state plans to build the country's largest solar power plant with a capacity of 41.81 MW.

This is a visible, concrete step towards energy independence, towards control over our own resources that power the digital infrastructure. Albania is experiencing constant problems with energy supply. The country depends on hydroelectric power plants, which are forced to shut down during periods of drought. In the past, Albania was primarily concerned with the physical aspects of infrastructure — how to have enough electricity for people to turn on the lights.

Only in recent years has it started investing in renewable energy sources. Can there be technical sovereignty without energy sovereignty? Can the government control its digital infrastructure if it cannot guarantee a stable energy supply?

Cybersecurity and Vulnerability

In 2022, Albania faced a serious cyberattack that forced the closure of government online services and government websites. This attack showed how vulnerable the country's digital infrastructure was, despite all its experimentation and ambitions. How well is Montenegro protected? It follows European cybersecurity standards and operates under the supervision of European regulators. This means that the level of protection is more predictable, more standardized, more reliable — but it also means that Montenegro depends on the European protection system. Albania, with its bold experiments, finds itself at the forefront of technological development, but also on the front line of potential threats. Its innovativeness may also be its vulnerability.

Position in the Global Innovation Hierarchy

Montenegro is a slow but stable player. Its investments in digital infrastructure, tourism innovations, and the development of 5G all fit into the pan-European development context. This is a safe path for a small country, but the question is, can this path ever bring Montenegro to the forefront of global innovation?

Albania, despite all its problems and vulnerabilities, has already taken an unusual position: it is the first in the world to appoint artificial intelligence to the post of minister. This country has become the “technological laboratory of Europe,” a place where people experiment with ideas that seem impossible in other countries. But does this mean that Albania has greater technical sovereignty?

The Speed of Innovation Versus the Security of Development

What is the price for innovation? Albania chose speed. She moves fast, experiments, and makes radical decisions. Montenegro chose security. It is moving slowly but predictably, following the already proven path of integration into the European system.

But in the long run, which of these choices ensures greater technical sovereignty? Rapid development of their own technological systems, which may be imperfect and vulnerable? Or slow integration into existing European systems, which are reliable but do not give independence?

Remaining Questions

Can a small state like Albania really control its own digital infrastructure, or does it eventually become a market for foreign technology corporations rushing to invest in pilot projects? Can there be true technical sovereignty without energy independence and reliable cybersecurity?

When Albania appoints an artificial intelligence minister, does it take control of its own management system, or does it give up its very ability to control the decision-making process? Can an algorithm be more sovereign than a human being because it is incorruptible?

Or is the sovereignty of the State based precisely on the human capacity for responsibility and choice? Which path ultimately leads to genuine technical sovereignty: conservative integration or radical experimentalism?

Can a small country have true technical sovereignty at all in the era of global technologization, or is it just different degrees of dependence on larger and more powerful actors?

Apparently, these questions have no easy answers. Perhaps, it is in an attempt to find these answers the true content of the technical sovereignty of the small Balkan states in the 21st century lies.