Which is the procedure for issuing a Personnel Security Clearance certificate to a person working in a state institution?

 

In order to receive a security clearance, the person must meet the need-to-know principle, i.e. to have a need to access classified information, and to meet the conditions stipulated in Article 38 of the Law on Classified Information.

For the procedure for issuing a security clearance certificate to be initiated,the security officer is required to submit a request for a security clearance certificate to the Directorate for Security of Classified Information (DSCI).It is mandatory for the request to have the following attachments:

  • Security Questionnaire;
  • Statement of the candidate indicating his/her consent the data given in the Security Questionnaire to be checked;
  • Photocopy of valid identification card or passport; and
  • Curriculum Vitae.

The request submitted to the DSCI by the security officer must contain a clear indication of the type and the classification level of the requested security clearance.

The DSCI issues two types of security clearance certificates: Personnel Security Clearance (PSC) certificate and Facility Security Clearance (FSC) certificate. Security clearance certificates may be issued for handling of national, NATO or EU classified information.

The DSCI issues national security clearance certificates up to the highest classification level, TOP SECRET. For NATO and EU classified information, the DSCI issues security clearance certificates up to the classification level SECRET, as agreed in the signed bilateral agreements on cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and NATO, i.e. the Republic of Macedonia and the EU.

For a security clearance certificate of the classification level:

  • TOP SECRET – the Security Questionnaire Form “A” is required to be filled in;
  • SECRET – the Security Questionnaire Form “B” is required to be filled in;
  • CONFIDENTIAL – the Security Questionnaire Form “C” is required to be filled in;
  • RESTRICTED – the Security Questionnaire Form “D” is required to be filled in.

The candidate personally fills in the Security Questionnaire and the Statement, and takes care for all the blanks to be filled in. In case some questions remain unanswered, the Security Questionnaire would be considered insufficient for a procedure for issuing a security clearance certificate to be initiated.

It is mandatory for the candidate to sign the Security Questionnaire and the Statement indicating his/her consent the data given in the Security Questionnaire to be checked. In case the Security Questionnaire and the Statement are not signed, there will be no conditions for initiating the procedure for issuing a security clearance.

After the whole procedure has been finished, in case it is confirmed that the conditions stipulated in Article 38 of the Law on Classified Information have been met, the DSCI will issue the relevant security clearance certificate.

The security clearance certificate is forwarded to the security officer at the institution where the holder of the security clearance is employed. The security officer is then required to brief the person on his/her responsibilities and obligations resulting from the Law on Classified Information while working with classified information.