With 62 votes "for", without "against" and "abstained", the Assembly adopted the Law on Census of Population and Households, which is to be held in April this year. Оnly the law was voted on, and the debate ended on January 15, when there was no quorum for voting. VMRO-DPMNE MPs were not in the voting hall. The largest opposition party previously announced that they will collect signatures from citizens to repeal this law.
The census, prescribed in the Draft Law on Census, will cover:
- citizens of the Republic of Northern Macedonia who have a domicile or residence in the Republic of Northern Macedonia, regardless of whether they are in the Republic of Northern Macedonia or abroad at the moment of the census;
- foreign citizens residing in the Republic of Northern Macedonia with a residence permit and
- stateless persons, who at the moment of conducting the census are found in the Republic of Northern Macedonia.
The census will also cover the households of these persons and apartments and other settlements.
The census will not cover:
- the diplomatic staff of the foreign diplomatic and consular missions in the Republic of Northern Macedonia and the members of their families;
- foreign military personnel and members of their families, located in the Republic of Northern Macedonia, as well as members and representatives of international organizations and institutions residing in the Republic of Northern Macedonia at the time of the census, and
- foreign nationals who at the time of the census are in the Republic of Northern Macedonia for business trip, private visit, treatment, tourist and similar trips.
For the citizens of the Republic of Northern Macedonia who are temporarily working or residing abroad, the data is given by an adult to whom they are best known, giving their personal identification number and personal identification number to the person for whom he / she provides data in the census.
For the citizens of the Republic of Northern Macedonia who are temporarily working or staying abroad, self-enumeration will be enabled in the period from March 1 to April 21, 2021 on a special application which is available on the website of the State Statistical Office.
The person who self-registers is obliged to register on the application beforehand and submit the completed forms electronically through the application to the State Statistical Office, whereby technical and organizational measures are applied in accordance with the regulations in the field of personal data protection.
