SKOPJE, March 1 (Xinhua) -- State Statistical Office (SSO) of North Macedonia kicked off on Monday the online census survey for the diaspora community living outside the country, Media Information Agency (MIA) reported.
According to MIA, the SSO started on Monday the first phase of the 2021 census of the population, households and dwellings, making available the online census survey for the citizens living abroad.
The census will be carried out from April 1 to April 21 and the SSO will conduct the registration for the citizens living in North Macedonia during this period.
As of Monday, the online census surveys will be available to employees working in diplomatic and consular missions abroad and their family members, as well as to troops deployed abroad, MIA reported.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani and the SSO head Apostol Simovski announced the preparation made by the authorities for the online census survey.
According to Simovski, the online survey will be accessible only to people living abroad.
Osmani said that the information received from the citizens living abroad will be used for planning policies linked to the diaspora community.
"Census data will also tell us the reasons why emigrants left the country and how we could get them to return in the country," Osmani said.
North Macedonia conducted its last census in 2002. According to the SSO, the population of North Macedonia was 2,076,255 at the end of 2019. Enditem
