The State Statistics Bureau (DZS) informed that 22,000 Macedonian citizens have registered using the census website that went online earlier this week. After numerous reports of problems with the website and security lapses, DZS insists that not all these applications will be counted toward the final result, and that all applications will be cross-referenced before being added to the final list.

Adding emigrants from Macedonia’s large diaspora to the census is a major problem in the entire process, which normally means counting only the actual residents of a country. It was done to appease the parties representing ethnic Albanians who feared that the Albanian share of the population will decline if the diaspora is left out.

In a press release, DZS again warned citizens against using VPN links to register to the census. A number of social media users from abroad reported that they were able to use VPN and register with a fake location, and under false identities.