ABOUT THE AGENCY
The Agency as a separate body of the state administration is competent to collect, process, analyse, evaluate, exchange, store and protect data and information relevant to the security, defence, foreign policy and economic interests of the Republic of North Macedonia.
The Agency realizes inter-institutional cooperation with the state administration bodies, public institutions and other legal entities on common interest issues.
Within the framework of its competencies, the Agency also realizes international cooperation with intelligence and security institutions from other countries.
In performing the activities and using the data and the information, the employees of the Agency are obliged to respect civil rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and to provide protection of the confidentiality of the data and the information at their disposal.
We, as a separate body of the state administration competent for the security and intelligence, have become part of the system of
collective security within the North Atlantic Alliance.
NATO membership brings great benefits, but also great responsibility for the Intelligence Agency.
The agency gained an allied approach and faster exchange of information on one hand, as well as collective action and
direction in terms of common priorities, challenges and threats on the other hand. On a daily basis, knowledge, analyses, views
and opinions are exchanged on issues that affect us mutually as partners and allies. The Intelligence Agency as an external
intelligence service operating in an extremely complex region makes a significant contribution and actively participates in
NATO committees competent for civilian intelligence.
In this regard, the Intelligence Agency pays great attention to the suggestions and support coming from Brussels and our
capacity is fully focused on building the institution according to the highest standards, criteria and procedures of NATO.
Namely, according to NATO recommendations, changes were introduced in the new Law on Intelligence Agency and the recommendations
imposed by the Alliance regarding the operation of the intelligence services of the member states were fulfilled.
The Agency conducts intelligence activities in order to identify external threats from:
-
a geopolitical rivalry which develops hybrid strategies and threats
-
regional security - strategic phenomena and processes
-
internal and international conflicts with the potential to affect national security
-
weapons of mass destruction
-
terrorism and violent extremism from a political, ethnic and religious aspect
-
transnational organized crime and other forms of asymmetric threats
-
illegal migration
-
cyber threats
-
current conditions related to energy security
-
conducting joint operations with partner services and other activities arising from the international cooperation of the Agency
-
Global pandemics with the potential for destabilization and impact on the national security
The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia at the session held on January 25, 2021 adopted the new Law on Intelligence Agency.
The necessity for its adoption was imposed due to the recent changes in the security environment of the country on a regional and global scale, which required immediate, efficient and timely response on the field. The new law defines the Agency as a service competent for external intelligence, which collects, processes, analyses, exchanges, stores and protects data and information on threats from abroad. This made a clear distinction between the competencies of the Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The drafting of the new law was the result of several months of work by a team from the Agency, in consultation with the academic community, the Ministry of Justice, the partner services from NATO and the EU member states and the specialized Alliance bodies. By means of the new legal solution, we completed the reforms in the security system of the country and fulfilled the indications in the European Commission Report for 2020, the obligation we undertook as a NATO member, as well as the expectations of the employees in the institution. The law improves and strengthens the professional standards, performs departization of the Agency, improves the management, regulates and specifies the manner of performing the tasks and the use and control of the methods and means of work and enables better protection of the classified information created by the Agency and of the information it receives them from the partner services and the NATO alliance. Moreover, according to the Law on Intelligence Agency, there is an opportunity for the employees in the IA to have equal rights with the employees in the respective security services in the National Security Agency and the Ministry of Interior regarding salaries and retirement.
Director of the Intelligence Agency,Erolld Musliu
The Agency is managed by a director who is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic and has a
four-year term, with the right to re-election for another term. The director represents and advocates the institution,
and among other things, organizes and ensures the legal and efficient performance of its competences and takes care
of the purposeful use of budget and other funds. On May 22, 2019, by decision of the President of the Republic of
North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, Erold Musliu was appointed director of the Intelligence Agency.
In accordance with the Law on the Intelligence Agency and by the decision of the
President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, on May 19, 2023,
Erold Musliu was reppointed director of the Intelligence Agency.
Erolld Musliu has built his professional career in the security world taking care of the stability and safety of his country.
Initially he was employed in the Ministry of Interior and later in the Intelligence Agency.Working for both security and intelligence institutions
of the state,he has gained experience to lead international operational cooperation and intelligence operations with partner services both regionally and globally
During his professional activities,Erolld Musliu completed numerousinternational trainings,courses and seminars related to the work of field officers,management of
complex intelligence operations in the intelligence sphere and for management and leadership.
Date of Birth: 11.09.1969 Kichevo, the Republic of North Macedonia
Education: 1993 the Faculty of Security Studies ,Major-Criminology and Criminal Policy
WORKING EXPERIENCE
[маy 2023] Intelligence Agency - Director of the Intelligence Agency
[2019-2023] Intelligence Agency - Director of the Intelligence Agency
[маy 2019] Intelligence Agency - Director of the Intelligence Agency
[2015-2019] Intelligence Agency - Advisor to the AR Director,tasked for cooperationof the operational matters of the Agency
[2012-2015] Intelligence Agency - Advisor to the AR Director for international operational cooperation
[2007-2012] Intelligence Agency - Director of the Direcotrate for Countering International terrorism and Organized Crime
[2004-2007] Intelligence Agency - Assistant to the Director of the Directorate for Operations
[2000-2004] Intelligence Agency - Head field officer for intelligence gathering in the Directorate for Operations
[1998-2000] Intelligence Agency - Senior field officer for intelligence gathering in Directorate for Countering International terrorism and Organized Crime
[1993-1998] Ministry of Interior - Field officer for counterIntelligence
Languages:
Albanian-mother tongue, Macedonian-excellent command, English-excellent command, Balkan region languages-excellent command Italian-very good command, French-good command
MARITAL STATUS
Married,father of three daughters
Deputy director of the Intelligence Agency-Aleksandra Bakrevska Dodovska
Aleksandra Bakrevska-Dodovska started her professional career at the Intelligence Agency in 2002, gradually passing all job titles there. She is qualified in the field of international relations and diplomacy.
Aleksandra Bakrevska – Dodovska has completed numerous international trainings and courses in the field of intelligence.
Date of Birth: December 24, 1976, in Bitola,Republic of North Macedonia
Education:
2016 – Master’s degree in Political Science, International Relations and Diplomacy Department at the School of Political Science at the American University College, UACS, Skopje
2000 - Faculty of Philology at the Department of English Language and Literature at the University "St. Cyril and Methodius", in Skopje
Work experience:
[February 11, 2021 ] Deputy Director of the Intelligence Agency
[June 2020 - February 2021 ] Assistant - Coordinator
[June 2019 - June 2020] Assistant Director at the Intelligence Agency for Support System Coordination
[November 2015 - June 2019 ] Head of the Department for International Cooperation, EU and NATO
[2009 - 2015 ] Analyst, Department for International Cooperation and Protocol at the Intelligence Agency Cabinet
[2002 – 2009 ] Analyst - translator at the Analytics Directorate
Languages:
English – excellent knowledge, Spanish language -(А2 level), French language -(А2 level)
Marital status
Aleksandra Bakrevska-Dodovska is married. She is mother of two children
Former Directors of the Intelligence Agency
Prof. Dr. Vlado Popovski (1995-1999)
Prof.Dr. Vlado Popovski was born on 21.09.1941 in the village of D.Dupeni, Prespa, Republic of Macedonia. He completed his elementary education in Shtip, and gymnasium and Faculty of Law in Skopje. He completed his master’s studies in Skopje on the thesis: "Political institutions of old Greece". His doctor’s degree was on the thesis: "The constitutions in the Macedonian national liberation movement as an indicator of its statehood character", thereby acquiring the doctor’s degree in historical sciences. He has been elected as: an Assistant and Scholarly Associate at the Institute of Sociological and Political-Legal Researches in Skopje; Associate Professor at the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje; and Associate Professor and Full Professor at the Faculty of Law on Skopje. He has been the Minister of Defence, Minister of Justice, and Director (founder) of the Intelligence Agency of the Republic of Macedonia. In 1991 he was a member of the Expert Team that drafted the text of the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia.
Dr. Aleksa Stamenkovski (1999-2000)
Aleksa Stamenkovski was born on 11 January 1952 in Vitolishta, Prilep. He graduated from the Faculty of Economy in Skopje in 1974. In 1986 he completed his master’s studies in the field of marketing at the Faculty of Economy in Skopje. He acquired his title of doctor of economy in 1992 also at the Faculty of Economy in Skopje. He has twenty-nine years of working experience in the field of administrative affairs related with defense, its budgeting, planning, management and strategic planning. During this period he has worked as the head of a division for defense planning, Advisor and Assistant to the Republican Secretary of Defense, Vice Secretary in the Ministry of Defense, an Advisor in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, Deputy Director and Director of the Intelligence Agency, Head of the Crisis Management Centre and Professor at the Military Academy and the Faculty of Philosophy – Institute for Defense and Peace Studies (Visiting Professor). In 2005 he was elected as Professor at the European University of the Republic of Macedonia - Skopje, where he is currently the Vice President of the European University.
Dragi Grozdanovski (2000-2002) (2003-2004)
Dragi Grozdanovski was born in 1957 in Bitola. He completed the Faculty of Law. Grozdanovski was a representative from the VMRO-DPMNE ranks in the first composition of the Parliament, was the Chairman of the Council of the Bitola Municipality and at the same time coordinator of the Municipal Committee of VMRO-DPMNE in Bitola. He carried out the office of the Director of the Intelligence Agency twice – in the period from March 2000 to February 2002 and from May 2003 to September 2004.
Dosta Dimovska (2002-2003)
Dosta Dimovska was born in Skopje, on 17 February 1954. She graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje, where later on she worked as an expert associate. She was a representative in the Assembly of RM from 1991 to 1994, and at the same time was the chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for International Relations. In 1998 Dimovska was elected as the Vice Prime Minister in the Cabinet of Ljubcho Georgievski. From 27 December 1999 to 13 May 2001 she was the Minister of the Interior of Macedonia. On 25 February 2002 she was appointed as the Director of the Intelligence Agency, and she left the office on 5 May 2003. In early 2007 Dimovska was appointed as the Director of the Cultural Information Centre of Macedonia in Sofia, Bulgaria. She carried out this office until March 2010 and, after suffering brain hemorrhage, she passed away in Sofia, on 4 April 2011.
Dr. Lazar Kitanovski (2004-2006)
Lazar Kitanoski was born on 25.04.1948 in Ohrid. He completed his elementary and secondary education and the Faculty of Law in Skopje. In 1981 he acquired his master’s degree, and in 1995 acquired his doctor’s degree in the field of sociological-politicological sciences. In 1991, Prof.Dr. Lazar Kitanoski participated in the working group that drafted the concept and the text of the working version of the first Constitution of the independent Republic of Macedonia. In 2001 he took part in the Ohrid talks which created political conditions for putting an end to the conflict in the Republic of Macedonia. He has been a consultant in a number of legal projects and member of the legal council of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. In the period from 1997 to 2006 he was engaged in projects related to the Euro-Atlantic integrations of the Republic of Macedonia, in particular in the field of security and defense. He carried out the following state functions: Minister of Defense in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia (1997-1998), a representative in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia (1998-2002), National Security Advisor to the President of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia (2002-2004), National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic of Macedonia (in 2004), Director of the Intelligence Agency (2004-2006) and a representative in the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia (2006-2008).
Kire Naumov (2006-2007)
Kire Naumov was born on 10.01.1971. In 1995 he graduated from the Faculty of Economy, and in 1998 completed his postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Economy, Belgrade, Serbia. From 1996 to 1997 he was an Assistant in the Financing and Control Sector in the Agency for Transformation of Public Enterprises with Social Capital, and in 1997 was an Assistant at the Faculty of Economy. From March 2003 to April 2004 he was an Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia, and as of May 2004 and Economic Advisor to the President of RM. From 21 July 2006 to 29 August 2007 he carried out the office of the Director of the Intelligence Agency.
Viktor Dimovski (2007-2009)
Viktor Dimovski was born on 26 May 1959 in Bitola, Republic of Macedonia. 1978-1982 he graduated from the Faculty of Law in Skopje. 1995 to 1996 he advanced his education at the National School for Administration (L‘ENA) - Paris, France. 1982 - 1995 he worked at the Ministry of the Interior, and 1996-2003 worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs performing the following functions: 1996-1998 Assistant Minister – Head of the Sector for the Balkans; 1998-2001 Assistant Minister – Head of the Sector for Southeast Europe; 2001-2003 State Councilor; 1998-2000 National Coordinator of the Republic of Macedonia for CEI; 1999-2000 Chairman of the Macedonian team in the Joint Diplomatic and Expert Commission for the Definition of the state border between the Republic of Macedonia and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; 1999-2003 National Coordinator of the Republic of Macedonia for SECI; 2000-2001 Chairman of the Committee of SEECP Political Directors; 2003-2007 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Macedonia to Serbia and Montenegro; 2004-2007 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Macedonia to the State of Israel (resident in Belgrade). In September 2007 he assumed the office of the Director of the Intelligence Agency.
Aleksandar Bocinov (2009-2012)
Aleksandar Bocinov was born in Pula. He completed the Faculty of Political Sciences. He worked in the Sector for Military Intelligence at the ministry of Defense. He was appointed as the Director of the Intelligence Agency on 10.06.2009. He came to the position of the Director of AR from the Security and Counterintelligence Directorate.
Nake Culev (2012-2017)
Nakje Chulev was born on 26 July 1972 in Kavadarci, Republic of Macedonia. In 1995 he graduated from the Faculty of Security, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. In 1999 he started working at the Intelligence agency. From 1999 to 2003 he was case officer in the Directorate of Intelligence Collection against International Terrorism and Organized Crime. From 2003 to 2007 he was the First Secretary in the Embassy of the Republic of Macedonia in Ankara, Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2007 to 2011 he was an advisor in the Directorate of Intelligence Collection against International Terrorism and Organized Crime. In the period from 2011 to 2012 he was Director of Operations, and on 27.03.2012 he was appointed as an Acting Director of the Intelligence Agency. One year later, on 27.03.2013, he was appointed as the Director of the Intelligence Agency.
Dr. Zoran Ivanov (2017 - 2019)
Zoran Ivanov is born on 31.07.1975 in Skopje. In 1999 he graduated from the Military Academy of the Republic of Macedonia. In 2011 completed his postgraduate studies, Military Arts and Science at Fort Leavenworth, USA. Also, in 2011 he completed his Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, USA. In 2014 he completed his Ph.D. Studies at the Institute for National History of the Republic of Macedonia. From 1999 to 2003 he was a Special Force Team Leader in the Special Forces Battalion at the Army of the Republic of Macedonia; from 2003 to 2005 he was a Special Forces Officer in the Special Forces Battalion at the Army of the Republic of Macedonia; from 2005 to 2007 he was a Special Forces Company Commander in the Special Forces Battalion at the Army of the Republic of Macedonia; from 2007 to 2011 he worked as an Advisor in the Directorate of Intelligence Collection against International Terrorism and Organized Crime; from 2008 to 2011 he was a Special Operations Officer in the Special Operations Regiment at the Army of the Republic of Macedonia; from 2008 to 2009 he worked as an Intelligence Analyst in the Military Service for Security and Intelligence; from 2009 to 2017 he was a Chief of the Intelligence Department in the Military Service for Security and Intelligence. On 27.03.2017 he was appointed as Director of the Intelligence Agency of the Republic of Macedonia.
TRANSPARENCY
The Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, through the Committee for Supervision of the Work of the National Security Agency and the Intelligence Agency supervises and controls the work of the Intelligence Agency and considers issues related to:
-
respect of the rights and freedoms stipulated by the Constitution and the Law, by the Intelligence Agency of the citizens
and other legal entities
-
respecting the Law in exercising the authority of the Intelligence Agency in terms of encroaching their authority,
unauthorized activities, abuse and other adverse trends in its work contrary to their rights stipulated by law
-
methods and means used by the Intelligence Agency in terms of respecting the Law and respect of civil rights and the rights of other subjects
-
financial, personnel and technical facilities of the Intelligence Agency
-
establishment of international cooperation on issues referring to such supervision
-
other issues regarding the Intelligence Agency
According to the Intelligence Agency Law, the Director of the Intelligence Agency is obliged at the request of the Committee to provide an insight into the work of the Agency and to provide reports and data on the work, in accordance with the competencies of the Committee.
As a result of the efforts for greater transparency, openness and direct contact, the project “A day in the Intelligence Agency" was established.
The project is a study visit to the Intelligence Agency by students in the field of security studies and students.
Thereto, the visitors will be acquainted with the scope of work, functioning, legal competencies and the role of the Intelligence
Agency, as one of the institutions in the security-intelligence system.
During the visit, the visitors will have the opportunity to see the permanent exhibition in the museum of the Intelligence Agency
and to get acquainted with the exhibits and their utilisation in the operational-technical measures and activities in the
intelligence activity.
Objectivity, legality and professionalism are the basic principles which our work is based on.
In order to increase the level of knowledge of the citizens in regard to the work and competencies of the
Intelligence Agency as one of the institutions in the intelligence-security system of the Republic of North Macedonia,
and in order to build an open, transparent and professional attitude towards the media, we establish a direct contact
with journalists through the following email contact@ia.gov.mk
CAREER
Employment in the Agency can be established by a person who meets the following general conditions:
-
to be a citizen of the Republic of North Macedonia
-
not to possess a citizenship of another country
-
to be an adult
-
to be healthy and psychophysically capable
-
to have an adequate education required to establish the employment
-
to be determined by means of a security check that there is no security risk with the employment of the person
-
a positive opinion was obtained, during the polygraph testing
-
not to have been sentenced a penalty or a misdemeanour sanction of prohibition to perform a profession, activity or duty, by means of effective court judgment
Message from the employees:
We build a working atmosphere based on dignity, mutual trust and security culture by respecting the laws and the safety procedures. We are committed to fulfilling our tasks, protecting the Intelligence Agency information and assets in order to achieve our vision. We accept the responsibility for our work, the risks and the consequences of our actions. We carry out the activities given by our superiors professionally, impartially and objectively. We are convinced that the cooperation gives the best results and that is why we highly appreciate and develop our partnerships in the country and abroad. Teamwork is key to our mutual success.
There are not active advertisements at the moment.
CONTACT
Everyone can submit information and report events to the Intelligence Agency related to threats to the security and the interests of the country. The Intelligence Agency guarantees the anonymity of the citizen who shall submit information, and if the Agency assesses the reliability of the information, he/she shall be additionally contacted for more information and details. We emphasize that any misuse, i.e. submission of false information is legally punishable under the applicable legal acts in the Republic of North Macedonia.
Location:
III MAKEDONSKA BRIGADA 67, 1000 SKOPJE, REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA
Email:
contact@ia.gov.mk
Telephone:
02/5103532