VLADAVINA PRAVA U USLOVIMA DIGITALIZACIJE JAVNE UPRAVE

Abstract

The process of digitalisation represents a powerful driver of numerous changes in contemporary society. It leads to profound transformations in the functioning of social institutions, economic relations, as well as in the everyday life of citizens. Information and communication technologies have long constituted the foundation of the functioning of both state institutions and the economy, as well as citizens themselves. Today, increasing attention is being paid to new “advanced” technologies and systems capable of performing numerous tasks independently, with minimal or even no human supervision. Consequently, digitalisation in the modern era is gradually losing its traditional meaning and acquiring a far more complex significance than merely improving the technical aspects of work processes. When it comes to modern public administration, digitalisation acts as a significant driver of institutional change, as it affects not only the technical aspects of administrative work but increasingly leads to transformations in the organisation and functions of public administration, thereby becoming a key factor in its overall transformation. It reshapes the traditional model of administrative action, creating substantial potential for improvements in terms of transparency, efficiency, and accountability, while at the same time producing important implications for the rule of law. In other words, the digitalisation of administration raises new legal and institutional questions regarding the protection of citizens’ rights, legal certainty, and administrative accountability, particularly in the context of the use of automated decision-making systems and data processing. The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between the digitalisation of public administration and the principle of the rule of law, with particular emphasis on the transformation of the normative, organisational, and functional aspects of administrative procedures. The paper is based on the understanding of the rule of law as a fundamental principle of the modern legal state, while also considering the concept of good administration as its functional manifestation in administrative law, as well as electronic administration as a model of public administration organisation based on the use of information and communication technologies.