Mancevski: Population register not a substitute of population census
Organizations, companies and citizens in the coming two weeks have the chance to have an insight into and give their comments regarding draft-laws on a central population register and electronic management and electronic services, which have been already posted online.
The Ministry of Information Society and Administration on Friday organized the first public debate about the two bills, which among other things also envisage a population register that will lay foundations for a e-services portal.
“The population register sets a foundation also for the e-services portal where the citizens will be able to be provided with the most sought after services and it will cost them much cheaper. It presents a platform to create an electronic identity of the citizens and it will be constantly upgraded with data from other institutions,” stated Minister Damjan Mancevski.
The register, he reiterated, is not and cannot replace a population census in Macedonia. Data bases of institutions, such as the Interior Ministry, etc, will be used.
According to Mancevski, the population register aims to provide all necessary documents to the citizens in a more efficient manner.
In parallel with the procedure on enacting the laws, technical preparations for the functioning of the register are under way. An equipment and a software have been procured, estimated at EUR 700,000. Most of the funds have been provided by the EU.
According to some expectations, the population register could start functioning as of September 2018.