Skopje, 24 June 2025 (MIA) - Minister of Digital Transformation Stefan Andonovski told Tuesday's panel discussion on the Government's one year in office that concrete steps have been taken and a significant step forward has been achieved in digital transformation, noting among other that the country has for the first time a Law on Cyber Security and the Government is working on a new Law on Games of Chance. 

He pointed out that the first thing the Government set out to work on after taking office was the reform agenda.

"By passing the four laws in the Parliament, which came from the Ministry of Digital Transformation - the Law on Cyber Security, the Law on Electronic Communications, the Law on Electronic Documents and the Law on Archival Operations or Electronic Archives, we managed to release EUR 19 million of EU funds, of which more than EUR 5 million are grants, and we demonstrated in practice what it means to apply European values ​​and European standards in the functioning of the state," said Andonovski. 

He added that in one year in office, the Government has also adopted the National Cyber ​​Security Strategy, which, he noted "really puts us on the map as leaders of European reforms in Macedonia". 

The Minister also mentioned illegal gambling, pointing out that a ban has been put in place in order to protect citizens from cyber attacks.

According to him, the Government first developed the National Cyber ​​Security Strategy by the end of 2024 and then proceeded to adopt the first Law on Cyber Security, which is fully aligned with European regulations and the requirements of NATO partners.

Andonovski said the Government is working on a new Law on Games of Chance, announcing the Western Balkans Digital Summit to be held in Skopje in October.

Addressing Tuesday's panel discussion, Deputy PM for Good Governance Policies Arben Fetai pointed out that the Government first gained insight into current strategies and their implementation.

"We looked into the strategies and started with concrete steps towards their implementation. We set up bodies for the anti-corruption strategy and for the strategy on confiscation of illegal assets. We are working to ensure that all strategies within the Government are implemented, that we have political control, as well as political will, because in every basis, in the implementation of government strategies, what was missing was political will," said Fetai.

According to Fetai, public administration is the engine of a state. He added that there cannot be a functional state without a strong, independent and efficient administration.

"Over the years, the opposite has been happening in our country. The administration was extremely politicized, overloaded, and instead of being a facilitator of public services that serve citizens, it was a kind of bureaucracy that prevented public services, the development of the state, and was a tool of crime and corruption. We will not allow this to happen in the future," Fetai added. 

Photo: print screen, Office of the Minister of Digital Transformation