Until 8 am on Monday, 64,176 members of the diaspora have filled out online surveys via the country’s census app.
The diaspora has been included for the first time in North Macedonia’s 2021 Population and Housing Census which started on March 1. The census app is intended for Macedonian citizens living and working abroad 12 months and longer. This part of the national headcount will last through April 21, 2021.
The first stage of the population census launched March 1 also includes employees in the country’s diplomatic and consular missions abroad and their family members, Macedonian citizens working in the United Nations and related organizations, representative offices of chambers of commerce abroad, business units abroad, deployed troops of North Macedonia’s Army, citizens engaged in international, technical and other cooperation abroad and their family members, as well as all citizens of North Macedonia residing abroad on various grounds, regardless of the length of their stay. This part of the census is conducted for 15 days and ends on March 15, 2021.
Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani is set to hold a press conference on Monday to report on the national headcount thus far.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has active phone-lines published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which are adequately equipped with modern digital tools such as Viber and WhatsApp allowing easier access for everyone everywhere and all information related to the census is available on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on the websites of our embassies,” FM Osmani said in a video message posted on Facebook on Saturday.
He added that diplomacy aims to ensure greater participation of the diaspora, by which credible data will be obtained on the numerousness and distribution of the country’s citizens abroad, allowing the creation of policies to provide better quality services for members of the diaspora as well, and a potential for their return to North Macedonia.
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev on Sunday also called on the diaspora to take part in the census, in order to get a clear picture of the number of citizens abroad and create strategies and policies to reduce the emigration wave and ensure permanent links between the country and the diaspora.
North Macedonia’s 2021 Population and Housing Census is happening between March 1 and April 21.
