Inclusive election cybersecurity workshop held in Skopje
In today’s digital era, elections have increasingly become the target of a number of threats. Cyberattacks, often combined with information operations and other hybrid threats, pose real risks to electoral integrity. Even countries that rely on limited technology for their elections face cyber risks that require serious attention. All electoral processes involve some level of technology, including voter, party and candidate registration, results processing, and the publication of results.
In this light, a timely and inclusive workshop on election cybersecurity took place recently in Skopje, bringing together a wide range of key institutions and experts to discuss best practices and strategic cooperation in securing electoral processes. The event was opened by Deputy Minister of the Ministry for Digitalisation of North Macedonia, Mr. Radoslav Nastasijevikj Vardjiski and provided valuable perspectives on how countries can ensure secure, transparent, and resilient elections in an increasingly digital world. The workshop was hosted by Priit Vinkel, Senior Expert at the e-Governance Academy (eGA).
A number of key institutions of North Macedonia were represented at the workshop, including the State Election Commission (SEC), Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT), Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Ministry of Interior (MoI), IFES North Macedonia, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University Skopje Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FINKI), and EU Delegation Representatives. Their presence highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation in tackling cybersecurity challenges.
The discussion was opened with a keynote by Arne Koitmäe, Head of the State Electoral Office of Estonia, titled “How to Ensure the Importance of Secure and Resilient Elections? Experience from Estonia.” Drawing from Estonia’s pioneering work in digital democracy, Koitmäe emphasized the significance of building trust and resilience through robust cybersecurity measures.
This was followed by a presentation on the status of cybersecurity governance management in North Macedonia, delivered by Tanja Milanovska, Advisor to the Minister of Digital Transformation, and moderated by Milan Sekuloski, Senior Expert at eGA. Milanovska gave a positive and forward-looking outlook on the ministry’s plans for enhancing cybersecurity governance and management in the near future.
The final session was a workshop discussion titled “Navigating Cyber Crises in Elections: Strategic Cooperation within Legal Boundaries and Securing Technology,” moderated by Priit Vinkel. The session saw dynamic engagement and discussion among participants, reflecting a shared commitment to improving the resilience of electoral systems.
As Vinkel emphasized, “Election management bodies should not be islands in the sea and should certainly look for cooperation opportunities with other governmental institutions.” His words underscored the need for collaboration and coordinated efforts to address cyber threats.
The event was organized under the EU-funded Western Balkan Rapid II project, reinforcing the EU’s support for strengthening democratic processes and cybersecurity in the region.