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North Macedonia has officially begun work on establishing its first National Centre for Artificial Intelligence, following the launch of the landmark “Vezilka” project by the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The initiative is being described as a major milestone in the country’s technological and digital development.
Valued at approximately €6 million, the project is supported by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme and the EuroHPC initiative, and is co-financed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation together with FINKI, the project’s lead institution. According to the ministry, the centre represents a historic step for the nation’s scientific, technological and innovation ecosystem, bringing together government, academia and industry to build a unified national AI infrastructure.
As an affiliated unit of the European AI factory “Pharos” in Greece, the new centre will provide Macedonian researchers, institutions, companies and start-ups with access to European supercomputing resources and advanced data spaces. This connection is expected to accelerate domestic research, support innovation and enhance the country’s integration into the wider European technological landscape.
The “Vezilka” project also carries a strong social dimension, with activities focused on five national priority areas:
- Language and Culture, with a focus on developing Macedonian language models and safeguarding cultural heritage;
- Healthcare, through advanced health data analysis and improved medical services;
- Energy, via optimisation of production and consumption systems;
- Public Administration, by enabling automation and greater transparency;
- Agriculture, through the use of smart technologies for modern and sustainable production.
A key aim of the centre is to ensure that AI solutions are accessible, ethical and designed to serve the public good. To support this goal, “Vezilka” will operate as a training and development hub, offering educational programmes, practical projects and skills development in the field of artificial intelligence.