Digital Interactions with Public Authorities in Romania and other Eastern European Member States: A Predictive Model

Abstract

E-government plays a vital part in the progress of countries in the European Union, especially in Eastern European Member States. It facilitates citizens, irrespective of their geographic location or socioeconomic status, in accessing government services and information, as well as participating in digital interactions with public authorities. The current paper analyses the evolution of e-government in Eastern European Member States in terms of the general populations’ ability to utilize the internet for downloading and submitting government official forms. Also, the current research paper aims to provide a predictive model of the evolution of digital interactions with public authorities in Romania by using time series data, specific statistical tests, and Holt's additive double exponential smoothing model for forecasting. The results suggest that Romania has potential for growth in digital interactions with public authorities and acknowledge the need for investments in digital literacy programs, simplification of administrative procedures, and improvement of regional digital infrastructure.

Keywords

• e-government
• digital interactions
• public authorities
• eastern european member states