About UsWith the expressed commitment for integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, the Republic of Macedonia started taking the necessary steps for coming closer to NATO and EU, which also understood the exchange of classified information. After the Security Agreement between the Republic of Macedonia and NATO in 1996, the Service for reciprocal security for protection of the information exchanged between the Republic of Macedonia and NATO was established. For secure distribution of the classified information to the final users, Central Registry within the Service was established, and sub registries at the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In March 2002 with a Decision of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia (Official Gazette of RM, no. 21/02) the National Security Authority (NSA) of the Republic of Macedonia in NATO Context (NSA) was established as an expert service in the Government. NATO welcomed the progress of the Service with a remark that it should further develop in order to accomplish its tasks successfully and to be financially independent. In that direction, the Republic of Macedonia took steps for changes in the security sector, as a result of which, activities were taken on for drafting and passing of the Law on Classified Information. The Law on Classified Information (Official Gazette of RM, no. 9/04) entered into force on March 5, 2004, thus enabling the former NSA to grow into the Directorate for Security of Classified Information as a standalone body of the state administration with a capacity of a legal entity. In line with the Law, the Decree on Administrative Security of Classified Information, the Decree on Physical Security of Classified Information and the Decree on Personnel Security were passed in November 2004, while the Decree on Industrial Security of Classified Information and the Decree on Information Security of Classified Information were passed in March 2005. In September 2007 the Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Classified Information (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 113/07) was passed. It ensured full control not only over the foreign, but over the national classified information as well. Furthermore, it ensured inspection supervision over all state organs and other natural bodies and legal entities for strict implementation of the Law on Classified Information. Other internal legal acts have been passed in relation to the protection of classified information in line with NATO/EU security standards. Following a cycle of amendments and supplements to the Law on Classified Information (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 145/2010, 80/2012, 41/2014, 21/2018, 83/2018), a necessity of passing a new regulation on classified information protection has arisen. To that goal, the new Law on Classified Information (*) (Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia no. 275/19) was passed in December 2019. Prepared on the grounds of the practical experiences acquired throughout years of handling classified information, the new legal solution regulates in a more precise manner the system for protection of classified information in the Republic of North Macedonia, provides a high level of compliance with the NATO and EU security policies and lays down other matters that are closely related to the security of classified information. With the Law on Classified Information (*) being passed and the Republic of North Macedonia becoming a full-fledged NATO nation, the Directorate for Security of Classified Information set out higher security standards in handling and exchanging classified information.
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