Интервјуа

Stankov: Official statistics are a public good for everyone

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EiB: You are an example of what is popularly called "the right man in the right place." A man from the world of statistics who comes to manage the State Statistical Office. To begin with, tell us a little about your professional career so far.

D. Stankov: My career has been entirely focused on statistics. After completing my undergraduate studies in economics in 2008, I started working at the State Statistical Office and gained my first experience in official statistics. Alongside work, I completed a master’s degree in monetary economics. A key moment in my professional career was the traineeship at Eurostat in 2011, which had a significant impact on my professional development and future ambitions. I have 16 years of experience in the field of official statistics, including as Deputy Director of the State Statistical Office. The opportunity to manage the statistical processes in the national statistical system and cooperate with numerous international organisations and national statistical agencies is an extremely valuable experience. From 2018 to mid-2024, I worked in the Statistics Department at the National Bank, responsible for external statistics. In 2021, I completed my doctoral studies in economics. I have also participated in numerous statistical conferences, seminars, workshops and working group expert meetings organised within the framework of the European statistical system, the UN, as well as IMF training courses.

Since August 2024, I have held the position of Director of the State Statistical Office and coordinator of the Macedonian statistical system. It is a great privilege and an honour to be at the head of such a respectable institution, and a major responsibility and a challenge to work on further increasing the compliance of Macedonian statistics with the international and European requirements.

EiB: You also mentioned a professional stay at a leading statistical institution such as Eurostat. How would you evaluate this experience, and what left the strongest impression on you?

D. Stankov: As a young statistician, my career was further enriched by a professional stay at Eurostat, and it was one of the most significant experiences in my career. Working at Eurostat allowed me to be part of the European family, even if only for a short time, to improve my knowledge and skills and to broaden my professional horizons. That experience fuelled my ambition and my professional aspirations, which are still the same today – to produce high-quality statistics in line with European standards that will support the Macedonian economy and society. The opportunity to work on real projects in a multicultural and multilingual environment and the exchange of experiences with leading experts have allowed me to establish professional contacts that are still valuable to me today and I am pleased to maintain them.

EiB: Although you are a relatively young Director, but with many years of work experience in official statistics, what challenges did you face when you assumed the position of Director of the State Statistical Office?

D. Stankov: Simply put – many, some caused by objective, some by subjective reasons. When I assumed the position of Director, the biggest challenge was to ensure continuity in the functioning of the institution in the face of a shortage of skilled staff, outdated technology and insufficient use of new digital tools for data collection. There is a large discrepancy between the required (planned) number of employees and the actual number of filled positions. In the previous period, there was an outflow of staff on various grounds, which is a serious challenge for every institution, especially as official statistics are very dynamic and face rapid changes. Furthermore, the structure of the institution's budget is very unfavourable, as it is predominantly intended for salaries. What is crucial, the Office was faced with a major delay in publishing important statistical data (Laeken poverty indicators) and their transmission to and validation by Eurostat (labour force survey). These delays have now been overcome, while in the medium term this situation requires even stronger managerial and organisational solutions, such as: creating and motivating strong teams with an emphasis on expertise, changing the work culture, more efficient organisational setup, hiring qualified statisticians, supporting continuous learning, etc. I personally believe that with the support from the team, by hiring new skilled staff and continuous investment in the professional development of employees, and thus in the institution, all future challenges can be overcome properly and in a timely manner.

EiB: This year the State Statistical Office (SSO) is celebrating a major anniversary – 80 years in operation. What does this anniversary mean to you, and how do you experience it?

D. Stankov: Yes, exactly. On 1 June this year, the State Statistical Office will proudly celebrate the 80th anniversary of its existence. The work of the Office is generally associated with gross domestic product, inflation, average salaries, censuses. However, over these 80 years, thousands of statisticians have worked with great enthusiasm and dedication on something that is much more. More specifically, it is the production of official statistics, which includes collecting, processing, analysing, aligning and disseminating data from various areas of the socio-economic life in more than 300 statistical surveys; it means focusing on the goal that the data are accurate and the methodology is sound and reliable in order to provide the best possible information for all users; it also includes coordination and establishing statistical standards for the other national authorities that are authorised to conduct statistical surveys. Throughout this entire period, the SSO has shown that data are of the utmost importance and value for society.

In this sense, I perceive this anniversary as confirmation of the extremely important role of statistics in creating precise and effective policies and as an incentive for further development and modernisation of the country's statistical infrastructure.

EiB: What will be your steps towards increasing transparency and bringing data closer to the public and society as a whole?

D. Stankov: Increasing transparency and bringing data closer to the public is key to improving trust in official statistics and ensuring greater citizen awareness and participation. The results are already visible. This week we launched the new website stat.mk, which is designed to improve the availability and clarity of statistical data and to provide easier access to the latest information. The new website is user-friendly, modernised and optimised for all types of devices, in order to meet the needs of different types of users and to facilitate the process of searching and downloading statistical data and their appropriate interpretation and use for further analysis. At the same time, in the process of developing dissemination products, we introduced a new personalised approach to data creation and management and implemented a new document management and workflow system.

We are also present on social networks as part of our efforts to improve the visibility of the Office and improve communication with the public. In parallel, we are starting a process of rebranding the institution, with a new logo, a new slogan and a new URL. All these activities are part of the efforts of the State Statistical Office to ensure greater transparency and openness towards institutions, the non-governmental sector, the business sector, the academic community and the public as a whole, so that they can increase the practical application and satisfaction from the use of statistical data.

EIB: It is known that high-quality statistics are the basis for making good decisions and implementing efficient economic policies. What can be done to increase the use of data for this purpose?

D. Stankov: We plan to work on raising awareness about the importance of official statistics, increasing statistical literacy and improving analytical capacities in the country by organising training events and educational programmes for different target groups on how to use statistical data, how to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources, and how to understand the role of statistics in decision-making. We have already started holding a series of workshops with data users where we discuss the correct interpretation and use of statistical data, so that they can serve as a basis for evidence-based policymaking. In the coming period, we will organise a series of lectures on statistical literacy in secondary schools in order to promote statistics among future students.

It is necessary to actively use statistical data in the planning and evaluation of economic policies and projects, as well as to include these data in public consultations on development policies. It is also very important to support research centres and academia, for which we provide access to anonymised microdata for scientific research purposes, to generate analytical reports that will serve to increase the efficiency of economic policies. With all these activities, the use of statistical data can significantly contribute to increasing support for business planning and data-driven decision-making.

EiB: To what extent are the statistical data produced by the State Statistical Office comparable and compliant with European Union statistics?

D. Stankov: According to the 2024 Country Progress Report, for Chapter 18 – Statistics, which is part of Cluster 1 – Fundamentals, the European Commission assessed that the country's level of preparedness in the field of statistics is between moderate and good. Further progress was noted in 2024, with a high level of compliance in the statistical infrastructure. What the European Commission constantly notes and recommends is the allocation of adequate resources to achieve full alignment with the European legislation. It should also be emphasised that the European legislation is dynamic and constantly changing, and we are continuously working on implementing all new developments and requirements. We are progressively increasing the collection of data in accordance with European standards and their transmission to the European Statistical System as part of the EU accession process, and thus making our data visible, measurable and comparable with the data of EU Member States. As an institution, we are fully committed to the European Statistics Code of Practice and the partnership with Eurostat and, although not de jure, we consider ourselves de facto part of the European statistical family.

EIB: What are the main challenges for the future of official statistics in the country?

D. Stankov: In light of all the obstacles the institution faces, I will repeat: the difficulties of timely filling vacant positions with staff with appropriate expertise and professional ethics; insufficient investment in information systems for the production of statistical data; insufficient balance between the assumed international obligations and the available resources in the institution; as well as the lack of flexibility to quickly adapt to changes (organisational, IT modernisation, introduction of new tools and work methods, etc.). The main challenge in the future will be the complete institutional reorganisation to achieve the strategic priorities: the full integration of the national statistical system into the European Statistical System; strengthening the institutional environment and statistical infrastructure; developing strategic partnerships and quality management. Furthermore, a new challenge for official statistics is building and maintaining complex systems for processing large amounts of data, including unstructured data owned by the private sector, as well as ensuring high standards of data protection. In today's modern era, it is necessary to increase investment in the digitalisation of statistical production. We have already discussed this topic and have the support of the Government, for which, as you already know, digital transformation is a priority.

EiB: Does the Statistical Office have the resources and expertise to use artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data?

D. Stankov: To be honest, at the moment we are making only modest attempts at their application. These are initial steps, but we are committed to accelerating this process in the near future. We have already started activities, in cooperation with Brainster Next College and their students, to take a qualitative step forward and work on making artificial intelligence part of the possibilities for accessing our dissemination database. In general, all other statistical agencies in the region are also trying to incorporate these innovations into their work, some more, some less successfully. We have a great opportunity to work on joint projects and use open-source software solutions for statistical production, developed within the European statistical community, and we are already doing so. In today's competitive world, developing our skills is essential in order to stand out. With our new training centre, which was opened this week, we provide structured programmes designed to help participants gain knowledge and expertise, and it is the perfect platform for growth. I expect that a lot of knowledge will be gained and shared, which will lead to new innovative solutions in the context of modern statistics and increase the efficiency of our work.

EiB: To conclude this interview, would you like to share any message?

D. Stankov: By all standards, Macedonian statistics should be professionally independent, reliable, compliant and adaptable in an era of major technological changes that will not bypass us. We are determined to invest more, invest better and invest faster, with our resolve and ability to strengthen the joint efforts and effectively coordinate the statistical system so that official statistics can take their rightful place – a public good for everyone.

EiB: Thank you for the interview.