Simovski: Census has ended successfully, 1,832,696 people enumerated, results by end of March 2022

The Census of Population, Households and dwellings of the Republic of North Macedonia has ended successfully. 1,832,696 people have been enumerated, 568,175 households and 837,255 dwellings, announced tonight the Director of the State Statistical Office, Apostol Simovski.

In the diaspora, outlined Simovski, 204,805 Macedonian citizens have self-enumerated themselves, mostly from the Western European countries, while much less from the oversees countries.

According to him, the number of those who have refused to be enumerated is minor, though these days this number will collected and be exactly known. However, it can be expressed in per mille, not in percentage. For them, as Simovski said, there are statements with the enumerators and procedures will be initiated.

The results of the census are expected to be published within a period of six months from the day of the completion of the census, that is, by the end of March next year.

-The census has been conducted successfully. Our country has shown that it has the capacity to conduct such a difficult statistical operation. All homes were visited, all citizens were part of the census, and those who were not included, and are part of databases, will be part of the census, said Simovski.

He informed that the combined census model enabled efficient monitoring of the enumeration. Of the included housing buildings, he noted that 91 percent were subject to the census. The remaining nine percent are not for housing.

- With the help of technical tools, efficient monitoring of the enumeration was enabled and the scope of the units of the census on the ground. Expressed in numbers, it means that of the included housing buildings, 91 percent were subject to the census, while nine percent are buildings that are not subject to the census. All buildings that were subject to the census were visited several times. Where contact with citizens was not realized after several attempts, those people have been invited to be enumerated in the offices of the municipality. Those who have not managed to do so, will still be part of the census, as it is expected that they are in some of the databases that will be used in the processing of data, so we know for sure that we have fully and successfully covered the population that currently lives in the country, said Simovski and announced that the next phases of the census will continue in the following period.

He explained that first, the commissions of the census regions need to finalize the concluding activities – collecting the laptops, other census material and returning them to the State Statistical Office, and the process of data processing will start according to the determined program of the Action Plan.

Deputy Director of the State Statistical Office Ilmi Selami also addressed the press conference.

Translation: N. Cvetkovska