STATE AUDIT OFFICE
- Press release -

Skopje, 12 July 2022

 

Only about 3% of public sector institutions are connected to the interoperability platform

 

State administration bodies are not in compliance with the obligations for digitalization of procedures, there is little interest in joining the platform, and there is a constant lack of IT staff as well as absence of a body for development coordination and monitoring

 

The State Audit Office carried out IT audit as performance audit on the topic "Functionality of the platform for interoperability between public sector institutions" in line with SAO Annual Program for 2021.

The audit objective was to assess the functioning of the interconnection platform and the use of information and data between public sector institutions concerning efficient use of the platform.

The interoperability platform is a significant factor in the digitization process.

With the audit, we obtained reasonable assurance that appropriate laws and bylaws have been adopted for electronic documents and electronic management, but there is absence of legally regulated standards for IT security to be implemented by the institutions in RNM. In addition, interdepartmental coordinating body has not been established for monitoring platform development.

There is lack of approved development documents, strategies, action plans and IT risk management for compliance with development of new and upgrade of existing information systems used in the institutions. The National ICT Strategy 2021 - 2025 has not yet been approved, and risks of non-functionality of the platform have not been identified and action plans for overcoming risks have not been prepared.

In the audited period 2019-2021, there were no reported cases of interruption of the platform availability. However, for 338 days in that same period (37%) there was no signed contract for platform maintenance.

In continuity, IT job positions are 50% filled and there is continuous outflow of trained and experienced IT personnel. As a result, there is also lack of security certification for the information systems that are or will be connected to the interoperability platform.

MIOA does not check the security and interoperability of the information systems used by the authorities through the single environment.

Even though the interoperability platform is operational, it is used by a small number of institutions, no new users are joining, and the exchange of data between institutions and the traffic on the platform is showing a slight decrease. The average value of processor load on the central point of the platform is 6%.

Due to the above, the unit cost for transmission of one message instead of decreasing, has been increasing over the years.

The IT performance audit covered the period 01.01.2019 – 31.12.2021, and certain issues and events were covered subsequently until the date of reporting on the audit.

 

Press contact:

Albiona Mustafa Muhadziri +389 72 228 203 [email protected]

Mijalche Durgutov +389 70 358 486 [email protected]

Martin Duvnjak +389 75 268 517 [email protected]