VISION AND MISSION.................................................................................................... 1
I. Need For Adopting A Pro-Active Strategy For The Development Of Electronic
Communications And Information Technologies In The Republic Of Macedonia............ 4
I.1. Digital Convergence ..................................................................................................... 5
I.2. Challenges In Bridging The Digital Divide.................................................................. 7
I.3. Creation Of Pro-Active Environment Necessary For Creating And Developing InfoCommunication Infrastructure For Information Society ................................................ 8
II. Electronic Communications Technologies as Basis For Fostering Development of an
Information Society .......................................................................................................... 10
II.1.Existing Legal Framework for Electronic Communications in the Republic of
Macedonia..................................................................................................................... 10
II.2. Strategic Approach of The Republic of Macedonia Toward Legislation and
Regulation of Electronic Communications................................................................... 11
II.3. Universal Service ...................................................................................................... 13
II.4. Radiofrequency Spectrum ......................................................................................... 15
II.5. The Role of Convergence of Media and Development Of ICT ................................ 16
II.6. Functional/Structural Separation - Support to the Liberalisation Process and
Ensuring Competition ................................................................................................... 18
II.7. Broadband Internet.................................................................................................... 20
II.7.1. Status ...................................................................................................................... 20
II.7.2. EU Trends and Strategic Determinants ................................................................. 21
II.7.3. Measures ................................................................................................................ 22
II.8. The Role of The Local Government in Establishing Partnerships Between the Public
and the Private Sector, and Development of Infrastructure in The Rural Areas .......... 25
II.8.1 Current ICT situation in the units of local government in the Republic of
Macedonia...................................................................................................................... 25
II.8.2 ICT goals for the units of local government in the Republic of Macedonia until the
middle of the year 2010.................................................................................................. 25
II.8.3 Measures ................................................................................................................. 26
II.9. ICT for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises ......................................... 27
II.9.1. Trends and current situation .................................................................................. 27
II.9.2. Measures to be taken.............................................................................................. 28
II.10. Macedonian Academic Scientific Research Network............................................. 30
II.10.1. Status .................................................................................................................... 30
II.10.2 MARNet ................................................................................................................. 30
II.10.3. Measures............................................................................................................... 31
II.11. Information Security ............................................................................................... 31
II.11.1. Preconditions for information security and communication privacy................... 32
II.11.2. Priority Determinations and Necessary Measures .............................................. 32
II.12. Interoperability ........................................................................................................ 34
II.12.1. General Notions and Definitions.......................................................................... 34
II.12.2. Current Status and Measures............................................................................... 35
II.13. ICT Research........................................................................................................... 36
II.13.1 Programme for research and development of information and communication
technologies as basis for an information society........................................................... 37
IV. Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 39