Stefan Andonovski: National AI strategy to be adopted by end of 2026
The Ministry of Digital Transformation will post the draft on ENER on 18 September 2026 and hold public debates; plans include a national data centre near Bunardzhik.
Digital Transformation Minister Stefan Andonovski said he expects North Macedonia's national strategy for artificial intelligence to be adopted by the end of 2026 and that the package will include drafting a law governing AI use. The ministry plans to publish a draft and open it for public debate later this month.
Andonovski said a working group will meet on 18 September 2026 at the Ministry of Digital Transformation to finalise a draft that will be placed on ENER and followed by several public debates.
Data centre plans and financing talks
Andonovski also confirmed talks are underway with potential financiers for a planned national data centre. The Ministry of Transport is preparing the procedures to enable use of a state-owned site near Skopje at Bunardzhik, he said.
“I expect that we will adopt it by the end of the year. One of the activities in the strategy we are considering is adopting a law on the use of artificial intelligence. That is, not regulating the production or the creation of artificial intelligence, but rather the correct ethical and principled use for the benefit of artificial intelligence,” Andonovski said.
He described the Bunardzhik site as state land not used for agriculture and located next to one of the industrial development zones, with photovoltaic plants already built nearby. Plans call for a second phase in which a photovoltaic power plant would be constructed alongside the data centre to supply roughly 30 to 40 percent of its electricity needs from solar generation.
“The location will be close to Skopje, right next to one of the industrial development zones. It is state land that is not used for agriculture or anything else, so we will make use of this space. Photovoltaic plants are already built nearby. We plan, in a second phase, in addition to the data centre, to build a photovoltaic plant, with which 30 to 40 percent of the electricity consumption will be supplied from the photovoltaic plant,” Andonovski said.
The ministry’s timetable points to completion of consultations and legal drafting during 2026, with public debates through ENER expected to shape the final strategy and the proposed law on AI use.
Photo: press material from the event
