About
In the Republic of North Macedonia, the Law on Free Access to Public Information defines the right of citizens and legal entities to access data and information of a public nature, as well as the conditions, manner, and procedure for exercising this right. However, data and information published in a raw format that is machine-readable and available for further processing have significant added value.
The concept of “Open Data” requires free and unrestricted access to public data, without technical or legal limitations. In the public sector, access to administrative data is a guarantee of transparency, efficiency, equal opportunities, and cooperation, while also creating additional value. Namely, transparency—because data originating directly from official sources can be consulted and used; efficiency—because citizens and organizations can create services in much more precise ways in cooperation with the administration; equal opportunities—because access to data is equal for everyone; and cooperation—because public data from different sources can be used by various stakeholders to create added value.
The greatest benefit is that the data made available are free, in the sense that access to them must not and cannot be conditioned or restricted in any way. The foundation of open data lies in the release of public data that belong to the citizens, who have the right to decide how they will be used. In this context, state authorities, municipalities, and other holders of information must not restrict or condition this right by requiring justification or explanation for their use.
This portal was developed within a project implemented by the Center for Change Management, financed by the Government of the United Kingdom, with the support of the British Embassy in Skopje. The data and content of this portal are not under the responsibility of the British Government.
