LDP and NSDP Only Parties with ICT and Information Society Development Policies

03 July 2006

On the eve of the 2006 Parliamentary Elections, the �Internet Macedonia� association sent a questionnaire to 13 political parties participating in the Elections, with request to explain their plans to utilize the huge potential of modern communication and information technology to improve the lives of the citizens and to suspend the constant lag of this field in Macedonia.

LDP and NSDP demand greater role for the state in promotion of greater ICT use

Of the parties invited to participate, only LDP and NSDP provided a precise list of their programming goals in the are of internet and electronic communications. Both parties, according to Aleksandar Nikolov, President of Internet Macedonia, believe that the state should be more involved in matter of internet and ICT and intervene wherever possible.

One such move, proposed by both LDP and NSDP, is for the state to reduce its share in the ownership of Macedonian Telecommunications LTD, to prevent monopolistic behaviour by this company. Also, the state should provide for free of charge access points and centres, and the Ministry of Education should provide free internet for the student dormitories. NSDP also proposes that the state should provide free or cheap internet for other categories of citiziens, especially the disabled persons, persons with special needs, and people living on welfare.

�That is one requirement that needs to be fulfilled to secure that citizens have access to the e-Governance services, such as seeking information and electronic application�, said Nikolov.

Internet Macedonia adds that, although SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE, as leaders of the two great coalitions, present internet as one of the hot topics in their campaign platform the association is concerned over the fact that both parties failed to list precise measures that would secure that their promises materialize.

�We should concluded that they lack clear vision, plan or will to implement such promises, but they just say things that the citizens want to hear. It also brings about the danger for the state institutions to remain an obstacle, rather than promoter, of the development of ICT use in the country�, emphasized Nikolov.