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On 31 January 2018 (Wednesday), the Ministry of Information Society and Administration (MISA) held the second Workshop of the working group for drafting the National Open Data Strategy. At the event, the attendees saw the presentation of strategy’s first Draft version, and were also asked to take part with their comments and remarks on paper’s future improvement.

Strategy’s first draft version was drafted by Bardhyl Jashari, Metamorphosis Foundation’s Executive Director, Zoran Janevski, Metamorphosis Foundation’s Executive Board member, Goran Rizaov, Project Coordinator at Metamorphosis Foundation and Martin Todevski, Project Manager at the Center for Change Management. Part of the content resulted of the recommendations obtained from the first workshop with the working group, which took place on 25 December 2017 in Skopje.

Furthermore, Filip Manevski from MISA presented ministry’s open data team’s past work and the challenges they face.

“This paper aims to encourage the promotion and use of open data with clear emphasis that data produced by the government and public sector are owned by the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia”, Manevski underlined while stressing that MISA works on consistent and joint access to open data on the part of all state institutions. workshop21

During the presentation of the work progress, it was highlighted that Macedonia should adopt the open data principles laid down in the International Open Data Charter, after which it would become signer of the Charter alongside with 70 democratic countries worldwide.

“Charter’s first principle – Open By Default – means that mentality has to be changed, those who ask for data to be opened shouldn’t explain why they need it, but authorities should explain and prove why they cannot publish certain data”, Goran Rizaov said while presenting the draft strategy.

This event was also attended by Andrew Stott, an international expert and former Director for Transparency and Digital Engagement at the Government of the United Kingdom, who worked on Britain’s open data policy and the creation of data.gov.uk. In his presentation, he stressed the advantages that data opening brings as well as the opportunities for social, economic and democratic development.

Strategy’s drafting process continues together with the creation of action plan for its implementation. The paper will be available to the public soon.

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