Skopje, 29 March 2022 (MIA) – The 2021 census of population, dwellings and households is the first census in many ways – the first one in almost 20 years, the first one held amid a pandemic, the first one conducted using the combined method and the first one which included the diaspora. Despite all the challenges, the statistical operation was completed successfully. Having precise data about the population will enable the country to create policies to better respond to the needs of the citizens and businesses, State Statistical Office President Apostol Simovski tells MIA in an interview. The first batch of census data will be released on Wednesday (March 30). Other batches will be released successively by the end of the year. Statistics is part of the first cluster of the country’s negotiating process with the EU. “It means that without statistics, no other chapter will be opened or closed. Statistics, in addition to Chapter 18, should serve as support to the other chapters, which is impossible without strengthening the capacity,” Simovski says in the interview, which is available in full below: The State Statistical Office (SSO) had spent a month on the ground before spending six months to process data. SSO will release the final results tomorrow (March 30). What is your general assessment of the overall process? It is my great pleasure to say that this census is efficient, professional and a successful process of collecting and processing data of which I’m especially proud. I’m really glad that this census, conducted after a 20-year hiatus, despite all the challenges is thorough, accurate and a specific overview of our society. For a man like me, who has spent his entire career in various aspects of the statistics sector, is very important, which is why I’m extremely pleased with both the process and the outcome. The census was a much-needed operation for the Republic of North Macedonia. From the start, we made thorough analyses of the bases and registries in the country. After consulting with international experts, we decided to implement a combined method for the headcount after being considered as the most adequate. A combined method, considered the most precise census method includes cross-checking field data with data of state institutions, available in nine registries, including the base of nationals, the population registry, the bases of the Employment Agency, data about students enrolled in elementary and secondary schools, Public Revenue Office data, information about pension and welfare beneficiaries, data from the civil registry in addition to data of the State Statistical Office. The cross-checking method leaves no room for manipulation and layman’s interpretation of data. When you have serious data bases used to check in different forms the data gathered on the ground, the chance to make an error is almost inexistent. The analysis arising from this kind of methodology is also clear cut allowing the creation of policies based on accurate and fact-checked information. The State Statistical Office is an independent and professional institution, which we once again confirmed with this statistical operation. Support from the international community for this process was vital, which was in fact support to use modern tools and support to apply the methodology I already mentioned. As a highly professional institution, the State Statistical Office was increasingly committed to address the challenges plaguing the process, mostly in connection with the pandemic. Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, the census was postponed once before finally organizing it in September 2021. In addition, we also had to find a way to handle the calls for census boycott, which proved ineffective because the citizens were very aware about the importance of the statistical operation after 20 years had passed since the country had the last one. I cannot be more proud that we, the State Statistical Office, have responded to the challenges with good organization, strict adherence to the enforced measures for protection during the pandemic and with determination to do our job professionally and efficiently. 20 years later, we have quality census data necessary for each and every one of us and for the whole country. The country has been without a census for 20 years. Has the lack of key data about the country’s development been reflected in the 2021 census? The operation in fact aims at providing key information about development, considered helpful in decision making and policy creation to improve the quality of the living standards all the while also improving business conditions. In this respect, I have to mention something that the country has set out being part of the global community of countries and where the census data will pay a key role. Namely, North Macedonia as a member of the United Nations has pledged by 2030 to meet the 17 sustainable development goals, which also provide three different aspects: economic, including economic growth and development; the environment defined through sustainable use of resources and transformation into green policies resulting in environmental protection; and the social aspect reflected in the fight against poverty. Indicators related to the sustainable development goals are mainly related to population data. In this context, precise data about the population will provide the country with the opportunity to create policies in order to be better prepared to respond to the needs of the citizens and business all the while allowing the country to meet the UN-defined goals. Also, having census data at disposal, the citizens will get statistical indicators helping them be informed before making smart decisions and taking part in policy creation, considered to be very crucial to partake in political culture. The business sector will be able to make more sustainable decisions about investments, workforce; the academic community will have at a disposal data bases to write researches, make projection about certain states, write papers. And the state will have data to create population-related policies as well as other social policies. For example, census information will provide a better picture about the educational status of the population, which is helpful to create policies to align the needs of the labor market, while also helping the business community plan its investments knowing the capacity of the workforce (education, age and qualification.) This is only one segment of the benefits at state and local level. All in all, the census outcome will be crucial in planning and organizing all spheres in the society. Having no census for 20 years has been truly a challenge. But, you must have in mind that the State Statistical Office has had access to the data bases I already mentioned, which we used to cross-check field data. Twenty years is a long period, but what’s important is that at the moment we have a system we have laid the foundations for and which can efficiently produce new and improved data. This is a great victory for us, the State Statistical Office, and also for the country, which will have at a disposal data allowing development policies to be created accurately and precisely. Will all data gathered during the census operation be revealed now? The final data will be released starting tomorrow. Digitization and high-tech has enabled quick and in-depth data processing in a short period of time and allowed us to conclude the data processing process in six months. Data will be released successively in sets of data. According to the Eurostat standards, all data should be released by the end of the year. The first set of data, due to be released tomorrow, includes data about the total resident population, total non-resident population, gender, age, ethnic affiliation, religious affiliation, mother language and language commonly spoken in the household, number of dwellings and number of households, will be followed in the months to come by sets of data about the educational and economic features of the population, detailed information on apartments, residential buildings and households. All data will be published in the Makstat data base on our website. The European Commission in its progress report about the country welcomed the organization of the 2021 census and called for capacity building in the State Statistical Office to be the main focus next year. What will be done in this regard? In several of its progress reports over the years, the European Commission has underlined that capacity building and new staff is crucial for the State Statistical Office. Unfortunately, for four years in a row, no job position has been opened. We have to find ways to strengthen capacity building. However, at this point – I think the public should know – the challenge we face involving new employments is not hindering current activities of the institution since we are actively engaged in settling these challenges. State Statistical Office staff is made of professionals that are prepared to mentor future colleagues and transfer knowledge. I’d also like to mention that the country does not have a faculty for statistics, which means that the training of quality statistics professionals requires serious engagement. It is a process that takes years. We have this in mind and we take appropriate steps. There is also the problem with hiring IT staff since qualified IT experts are not interest to work in the institution because they will be paid less than working in an IT company. Also, it should be noted that Chapter 18 – Statistics is part of the first cluster of institutions in the negotiating process [with the EU]. It means that without statistics, no other chapter will be opened or closed. Statistics, in addition to Chapter 18, should serve as support to the other chapters, which is impossible without strengthening the capacity. There are solutions and I sincere hope that together with the government we will find solutions in order to provide quality official statistical data in a timely manner.