The census debate is over. The census will be conducted in our country April 1 – 21. We are one of the few countries in the world that do not have had a census for 20 years and we should be even more responsible to conduct the census as soon as possible, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Monday.

In the spirit of inclusiveness and the attempt to reach a consensus we had an understanding of all the proposals and everything that could be acceptable and reasonable, but the debate on the census is over, he added.

Whatever the comments about a possible delay or not, they are over. The debate in our country has been going on since 2012, after the census failed, and that is how we have been debating the census for nine years. And, it was enough debating, let us sit down and finish that census, because it will neither change anything political in the country, nor will it cut or add certain advantages, rules, privileges or anything, said Zaev.

The census, he stressed, will provide statistics as a statistical operation, which are so important to us for the future, any planning in the country.

The methodology has already been published and all questions have been answered. It is the obligation of every citizen to register. There are serious sanctions for refusing, to register in the the census. It is a civic obligation to the state and I believe that we will all fulfill it, said Zaev.