Skopje IT conference supported by OSCE Mission, Representative on Freedom of the Media

SKOPJE, 15 November 2006 - The second international conference on Information Technology, supported by the OSCE's Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje and the Representative on Freedom of the Media, opened in Skopje today.

Organized by the local NGO Metamorphosis Foundation, the three-day event brought together over 400 government representatives, legislators, and experts from 13 countries. They will discuss institution-building, developing an e-society, the freedom of information and data privacy, e-commerce, cyber-crime and cyber-security legislation, as well as digital broadcasting and ways to bridge the gap between European Union and South-Eastern European regulations.

"New technologies can help improve the efficiency of the public administration and communication between the central and local governments and the citizens," said Ambassador Natalya Drozd, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission. "They also contribute to economic growth, more efficient tax collection, better education, health services, and can improve the quality of life of the average citizen."

Mile Janakieski, the Minister of Transport and Communication, said a new Ministry would soon be created to deal with information technology, and a law on information society would be drafted. "We already have in place a strategy for building an information society, and the next step will be to implement it," the Minister said.

A detailed agenda of the conference is available at www.e-society.org.mk