{"id":12454,"date":"2026-03-22T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arhiv.mk\/?p=12454"},"modified":"2026-03-21T20:53:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T19:53:15","slug":"%d0%b1%d0%be%d0%b3%d0%b5%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8-%d0%b7%d0%b0-%d0%bc%d0%b8%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d1%80%d0%b6%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%be%d1%82-%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%85%d0%b8%d0%b2-%d0%b5-%d1%81%d1%82%d0%be%d0%bb%d0%b1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arhiv.mk\/en\/2026\/03\/22\/%d0%b1%d0%be%d0%b3%d0%b5%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8-%d0%b7%d0%b0-%d0%bc%d0%b8%d0%b0-%d0%b4%d1%80%d0%b6%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%be%d1%82-%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%85%d0%b8%d0%b2-%d0%b5-%d1%81%d1%82%d0%be%d0%bb%d0%b1\/","title":{"rendered":"Bogeski for MIA: The State Archives is the pillar of the Macedonian being, the oldest document in posetion is the 12th century Gospel of Luke"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/p>\n

Let us begin with the upcoming great jubilee that you are celebrating - 75 years of existence of the State Archives, how are you going to mark this great jubilee.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yes, that's right, the State Archives of Macedonia is celebrating 75 years since its founding in 1951 by decree of the then Government. It is a significant moment for the institution and for the state, an opportunity to remember the path of its development and the generations of people who contributed to the development of archival activity, archival documentation and generations who elevated this institution. What I want to single out as the centerpiece of the celebration of our anniversary, 75 years of the State Archives, is the Ceremonial Academy that will be held on April 6th at the Macedonian National Theater, but for us the whole year is an anniversary. So we are not going to stop at that, but through various exhibitions, through various book promotions, document promotions, we continue throughout the entire period to promote the State Archives of Macedonia, to promot the documents we possess, that is, to promote the entire social, historical and cultural activity in Macedonia.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In the light of this big anniversary of 75 years of existence, can you tell us approximately how many materials our Archives keeps in its depositories and which is the oldest document?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

- The State Archives is composed of nine regional departments, nine regional archives and together they have about 8,000 holdings or in our case, measured in meters, about 9 kilometers of archival material. One of the oldest documents, that is, the oldest document owned by the State Archives, is the Gospel of Luke, which dates back to the 12th century and was found in the holdings of the Robevi family from Ohrid.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The State Archives is considered as a pillar of national identity. Since you come from the ranks of employees, can you tell us what are the challenges that the Archives faces in terms of spatial conditions for adequate storage of permanent archival material, as well as meeting technical needs?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2013 The State Archives is not considered, but rather is the pillar of the Macedonian identity, that is, our motto is a pillar of the Macedonian being, existence. We face challenges such as not having enough spatial conditions to be able to collect all that archival heritage, that is, all that archival material, documentation in our depositories and to be able to protect and preserve it in a contemporary and modern way. So, one of the challenges we face is primarily the spatial conditions, i.e. creating conditions for new depots. Another challenge is the modern methods of conservation and restoration, i.e. conserving archival material, its damage, repair and restoration \u2013 returning those documents to their original state. And the last phase of these challenges is digitization, which is perhaps one of the most important elements in these challenges, because in this way, through the digitization of documents, i.e. archival heritage or materials that represent first-category cultural heritage, we are actually protecting the archival material, but making it more accessible for scientific and research purposes. The digitization process, unfortunately, is a bit late in our country, or rather, we are lagging behind with that process for some reason, because we do not have even one percent of the entire documentation digitized or in digital form. To do this, we need to build an information system, or rather, a software solution on which we could in the future upload those digitized documents, or that digitized material, to the software itself and make it more accessible to the public. We have already started those processes with the help of the international factor, applying international norms, i.e. criteria. Through a donation, we have already started a pilot project for the development of an information system, i.e. software. Upon completion of that pilot project, we will be given guidelines on how that software should look and function, and immediately after that we will begin implementing the software and digitizing the archival materials and uploading them to it.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Since you mentioned digitization, what is the policy of the State Archives regarding the material part of the permanent archival material that has already been digitized, will it be appropriately stored as before or is there another solution?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2013 Yes, as I have said, the archival material is stored in depositories not only at this moment, but always. Those depositories need to meet certain criteria and conditions so that that archival material, i.e. that wealth of first-class cultural heritage, can be preserved permanently and forever, not just in certain periods. I can mention some of the conditions that those depositories, or rather places where archival materials of permanent value are stored, should have - first of all, humidity regulation, temperature regulation, external influences, these are some of the basic conditions that those depositories should meet in order to be able to store that material permanently. As for digitization, I mentioned to you earlier that we are already developing an IT system, or rather a software solution, on which we will be able to upload those digitized documents to that software. In this way, the citizens, that is, the researchers who need to research archival documents, will not have contact with archival documents because with every touch and every removal from the depositories, there is a high possibility to damage the documents, and they will access them in digital form and will be able to have insight or have a scientific research part in electronic form in front of their computer or laptop screens.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Will the digitized materials be safe, is there a danger of downloading, perhaps forgery, destruction... How prepared is the Archive to deal with these challenges?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

- Of course, the information system, or rather the software that we are creating with this pilot project, will provide us with all those anomalies or opportunities that may arise during the work itself. We hope that we will choose a good software company with our help because we need to implement the practical part into the digital part. And we know that in recent times, cybersecurity is also a very important issue and I see that companies dealing with cybersecurity have already started operating in Macedonia. By forming a joint team and working together on a joint project, of course through cybersecurity and the so-called digital conservators, these are modern expressions that Western European countries that already have a more advanced process in digitalization have implemented, we will manage to build a digital information tool where it will be sufficiently secured through the stamps that those documents will possess. The State Archives, will reduce the possibility of forgery of those documents to almost zero percent also through the communication on issuing documents true to the original through the State Archives<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Is there any interest nowadays in researching our history using the materials of the State Archives?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2013 Yes, there is, but, unfortunately, I must say that the interest is not that great. Because our frequent guests are exclusively people who deal with historical topics, that is, certain professors at the Institute of National History and from the Department of History. So they are mostly people who deal with historical science and come from those two institutions for research while preparing some of their scientific papers. Our goal, if you notice well, especially these past three or four months, is greater affirmation of the State Archives, greater presence in the public, and displaying or making documents available to the public several times a week, all with the aim of stimulating scientific research purposes and not only scientific research purposes, but also the realization of certain rights of the people in this country. In addition, we are also considering several projects, and that is with the Institute of National History, the Department of History, History and Archival Studies, so that they can conduct lectures and exercises in the State Archives itself. By doing so, we believe that we will make an additional affirmation of the State Archives among students who will be engaged in that activity in the future, not only to listen to theoretical lectures, but also to be able to practically implement the theoretical knowledge they have. We are also open to many schools, this period we had a lot of visits especially from high schools, which are getting to know certain social circumstances in more depth \u2013 cultural, historical, economic and so on. So the goal of this new leadership, of this team now in the State Archives, is greater affirmation, greater accessibility for people and more opportunities to come and research in the State Archives itself, from that treasury or from the sea of \u200b\u200bdocuments that we possess.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

So the documents are available for scientific research purposes, mostly the majority of the documents?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

- There are no documents in the State Archives that are prohibited or not given for any reason for scientific research purposes or for inspection by citizens or the scientific research public. Except for documents that have a classification level, i.e. PRK, these are extended storage periods and only those people, i.e. those institutions that have created them and that possess a classification level certificate, have the right to view them. However, there is very little of it in the State Archives. All other materials, i.e. 99 percent and perhaps more than 99 percent of the materials, are available to the Macedonian public. There is nothing secret, there is nothing hidden, it is open for scientific research purposes.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What is the Archives policy regarding the private collectors of permanent archival material?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yes. Once a year, we make a proclamation where we invite all those who own private collections, private archival material, collectors of certain archival materials to come to the State Archives and, through the commission that has been formed for that type of documents, i.e. where they are located with private holders, whether by purchase or by gift, to be handed over to the State Archives because the place for those documents is in the State Archives. For what reasons? First, in order to be able to preserve them permanently, they should be handed over to the State Archives. They then undergo conservation and restoration, then arrangement and processing. Scientific and informative aids are produced and made available to scientists. And to be available for public inspection. By simply keeping those documents at home, there are several dangers \u2013 first, destruction and insufficient affirmation of those documents where they sometimes happen and shed light on certain historical events or truths.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Does the State Archives, and in what manner, assist in the accurate and high-quality production of history textbooks in the country?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As you may have noticed, in this month of March, the Minister of Education and Science, Professor Vesna Janevska, recently visited us. One of the topics we discussed was her. The State Archives offered to participate in the history textbooks produced by the Ministry of Education or the Bureau for the Development of Education through its original documents. By doing so, we believe that we will be able to confirm certain historical truths, and that the students themselves, through the original record, the original document, the original archival materials, will be able to verify or approximate some historical truths from the text itself and from the reading itself. Not to interpret them in imagination, but to see them from the original document itself. And I believe that by doing so, we are enriching the scientific program, that is, the historical readings, and we are instilling in the collective consciousness of the students themselves, of the students themselves, the Macedonian continuity, identity, being, social, economic and societal life. So, with that, it will be more interesting for the students when they look at the original archival materials in the textbooks\u2026 -That is our goal. You know, when you dryly describe the documents, they create their own mystifications and some of their own vision. However, when they see it in the original, I believe that they will be much more interested and I believe that they would be much more willing to perhaps even see it in person, to come, to see for themselves, but even that very presentation of a picture of some historical truth or confirmation of a historical truth will resolve a large part of the dilemmas of those students or pupils.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Does the Archive finance professional development for employees, especially the younger generation, given that most of the employees have retired in recent years?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Yes, as part of our challenges or goals at the State Archives, it is precisely that, to form the knowledge of the employees of the Archives, to form their knowledge, that is, to study History with Archival Studies and enroll in a faculty. Why, because that is the direction, that is, those are the necessary qualifications that an employee must meet in order to work at the State Archives. Why, because that is the direction, that is, those are the necessary qualifications that an employee must meet in order to work in the State Archives. Now, for those people who have secondary vocational education or have different faculties that do not correspond to the work in the State Archives, we offer programs, and some of the employees have already graduated from History with Archival Studies during this period while they were at work, and with that, I hope that in the next five to ten years we will create a functional institution in which all employees inside will be productive and will have graduated from those directions or those departments that are necessary for work in the State Archives. In addition, we also invest in the conservation and restoration system of the work, i.e. the Department for Conservation and Restoration. We send some of them for training at the National University Library in Skopje, where they also conduct part of the conservation and restoration training, and we send some of them abroad. Now, during my recent visit to Turkey in December, we saw some slightly more modern types of conservation and restoration in the Ottoman Archives, and in the agreement or memorandum of cooperation that we have concluded with them in April or May, we are sending a certain group, where they will further develop their knowledge or undergo additional training, and we believe that upon their return to the State Archives, that is, in Macedonia, we will implement some more modern and new methods of conservation and restoration. In addition, we are also working with some museum training, the preparation of exhibitions, so everything is with one goal - for the State Archives to be up to date with modern events and times.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Finally, what is your vision or how will you position the State Archives in the era of modern technologies and artificial intelligence?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

- My vision, because I am employed in the State Archives and have about 19 years of work experience there, I can present it in the following way. First, I believe that during an economic stabilization period in the country, we should offer the Government of Macedonia a solution that will be for the next 100 or maybe more years, namely the preparation of a draft plan project for the construction of a new State Archives of Macedonia. That new State Archives of Macedonia should meet all European and international standards and ours, which will have to solve the issue for 100 or maybe more years in the future. Digitization, or information systems, should also be included in that process, because that is the future of archival materials, their preservation, accessibility to the public, and we know that today, in the midst of some artificial intelligence, a large number of solutions are being found. So, I believe that we, as the State Archives, have the capacity to create a software information system in the coming years. We have the capacity to carry out digitization, I think that both the Government and the Ministry of Digital Transformation are listening to our requests, are aware of our requests and needs, and that we can carry out that process ourselves because it requires a lot, but slightly less financial resources, unlike the construction of a building. However, we as the leadership and as a management team employed in the State Archives are obliged to offer solutions for the archival materials, the archival documents, for the historical and cultural heritage that we possess for the next 100 and more years, to provide a solution to the Government and the people, and we can be calm that this material will be preserved.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Neda DIMOVA PROKIKJ<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Photo: Darko Popov<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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[…]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":12455,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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