PROGRAM OF GOVERNMENT 2017-2020 Information Society In the last ten years, the development of information society in the country, compared to other countries in the region and particularly to countries of the European Union, stagnated considerably. This assessment is noted in a United Nations Study (“E-Government Survey 2014: E-government for the Future We Want”), published in June 2014. Macedonia occupies the last place in all segments of the analysis - lowest index of e-government development of all countries in the region, smallest percentage in offering electronic services to citizens, lowest percentage of citizen participation in decision-making at both local and central level. Similar results can be seen in various EU, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and World Bank research. The Government’s goal will be development of the IT sector (meaning increasing exports, reducing unemployment and building Macedonian brands) as well as simplifying and speeding up communication between citizens and the public administration using ICT. To this end, Government priority will be given to the creation of electronic registers as a basis for all electronic government services provided to citizens and businesses. In support of the development of this sector, the Government will provide full protection of intellectual and industrial property in the field of information technology and develop a long-term national strategy for development of information society (which will predict the development of electronic commerce). The Government will support the establishment of research units in the business sector in view of efficient transfer to modern technologies. The Government will pursue a policy of reducing the profit tax for Informatics and Information Technology to 5%. The Government will financially assist the marketing of services and solutions developed by Macedonian ICT companies on world markets, as well as the retraining/service training of highly educated technical engineers (technologists, architects, mechanical and civil engineers) into IT engineers, in order to harness their IT knowledge and reduce unemployment of technical staff. The Government will provide tax incentives for IT companies exporting software and services. This will allow increased foreign exchange earnings, building new outsourcing IT companies and opportunities for new jobs. Additionally, the Government will take the necessary steps for attracting third mobile operator in view of reducing prices of services and provision of better services to citizens The Government will fully implement the three main electronic registers: the Register of Citizens, the address register and the register of spatial data. These records are the basis for all electronic government services provided to citizens and businesses through systems used in public administration (registers, single electoral list, etc.) as well as the basis for all necessary actions for organizing population census in Macedonia. We will develop to the fullest e-government and government services to citizens and businesses, to speed up procedures in the administration and reduce costs. By applying the most modern ICT strategies and measures, we will improve transparency of government institutions through full application of the concept of open government (Open Government). In this way, we will reduce the possibility for discretionary decisions, discrimination on any grounds, but also strengthen the fight against crime and corruption. 48