Skopje, 3 April 2026 (MIA) - The Government is investing in strengthening cybersecurity through the establishment of a new Computer Security Incident Response Center (MKD-CSIRT), Minister of Digital Transformation Stefan Andonovski announced.

He told TV 21's Click Plus show late Thursday that significant financial resources have already been secured for the project, including funding from the European Union.

“We have invested €1.5 million, combining EU and national funds, to set up a Government Computer Security Incident Response Center that will be launched… It is important to closely monitor what is happening in cybersecurity,” Andonovski stated.

With this center, institutions will have greater capacity to deal with cyber threats and incidents, which have become increasingly frequent and sophisticated in recent years, he noted.

“Changes in the global economy and the development of artificial intelligence are creating significant pressure on the domestic IT sector, which has seen slower growth in recent years,” Andonovski said.

According to him, the private IT sector has sharply slowed down employment growth, unlike the 2021-2023 period.

“Artificial intelligence and the closure of certain markets in Western Europe are putting pressure on the private domestic IT sector, which is no longer hiring at the level of 2021, 2022 and 2023… Salaries are either decreasing or stagnating and those without jobs are being pushed down to minimum wages…There is now pressure on the labour market and interest in working in the public administration is increasing,” Andonovski said.

In response to a question on the significance of the second session of the Strategic Dialogue with the United States, set to take place next week in Washington D.C., where he will be part of the Macedonian delegation, Andonovski noted that this is an exceptionally important diplomatic and strategic process for the country.

“We will be the only European country this year to hold a second session of the Strategic Dialogue. I can say that we already have excellent cooperation with the United States in the areas I cover, namely digitalization and cybersecurity. During my visit in January, we held high-level talks at the State Department on issues related to cooperation with Macedonia, cybersecurity challenges, digital infrastructure, and the exchange of information on potential cyber risks. I expect this Strategic Dialogue to produce concrete outcomes that will improve opportunities for Macedonian citizens, the economy, and institutional cooperation, with tangible benefits for both sides,” Andonovski said.

He noted that cyberattacks are increasingly used as a means of asymmetric warfare, carried out by both state and non-state actors. According to him, this involves targeted strikes in cyberspace against critical infrastructure, covering not only civil infrastructure but also healthcare, education, and other key sectors.

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