NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION PLAN network that connects the Governmental institutions, and there is a great part of systems that were inherited and are incompatible. This type of organisation obstructs the efficient electronic data exchange between the Governmental institutions, apart from the e-mail usage, which is the only tool for electronic data exchange. The situation with the information systems in the local self-Government is at its minimum. Physical infrastructure exists in only a small part of the local self-Government. There is no possibility for any structural electronic data exchange between the Governmental institutions at the central and local level. There is no e-Government portal, as a single place for all transactions from the citizens and the legal entities to the Government, which would replace the current filling in of forms and applications for the needed services in the Governmental institutions. There are several reasons for this, out of which the most important ones are the following: non-existence of an infrastructure that would enable secure data collection, publishing and distribution of data by the Governmental institutions, low information system management level in the institutions, as well as management information systems. Greater part of the Governmental institutions are characterised with a low level of ICT-literacy as regards the administration employees, as well as with non-existence of a specialised ICT-staff which would implement the technical part of this concept. The ICT-equipment situation is also critical, as well as the obsoleteness of a part of the existing equipment. The basic security procedures were installed with many faults, the information system security level is unsatisfactory, and there is no standardised security infrastructure. It is necessary to mention the different types of Internet connection, and the non-existing computer network that would link the Governmental institutions. The Internet access currently represents an individual problem for each of the institutions, because MARNET-network does not meet the institutions' needs. Such approach leads to a variety of solutions for Internet-access and to increased costs, the possibility for unauthorised access, etc. In the Republic of Macedonia, there are many state institutions, local self-Government units and institutes that use GIS-technology, such as: the State Authority for Geodesic Works, Ministry of Defence, PE for Spatial and Urban Plans, State Statistical Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, AD "Electric Power Company" of Macedonia, many communal enterprises, especially water-supplying enterprises etc. There is no unified GIS-solution among the Governmental institutions which would create a unique GIS-system. Currently, the standard for protection of the information systems and the quality level of the services provided by the Government is not being applied. The necessary conditions for enforcement of the Law on Electronic Signature have not yet been created, and currently there is no possibility to accredit an institution as a certificate issuing authority. According to the researches carried out within the Project e-Governance at a local level in the Republic of Macedonia, carried out in co-operation with UNDP, the Ministry of Local Self-Government, the Committee for Information Technology and the CSGU - Community of the Self-Government Units in 2004, the situation in the local self-Government is characterised with a low level of physical infrastructure, non-existence of information systems management, lack of ICT experts, minimal Internet usage and local administration employees with a minimal or zero level of ICT-literacy. NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR INFORMATION SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT AND ACTION PLAN 27