POSSIBILITIES FOR APPLICATION OF THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE IN THE LAWMAKING PROCESS AT THE ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

The digital society revolution drives the idea of the level and efficiency by which the public domain and government are ready to use digital tools as well. One of these is “electronic signature”, widely used in the private sector as a legitimate tool to identify the person signing a document. Whereas electronic signature is widely practiced as a legitimate means of identifying the signatory of a document, the question arises whether this practice can be introduced in parliaments. Leading hypothesis is the application of electronic signature in the procedure of “sponsoring a bill”, or signing the “promulgation act”. This hypothesis will be explored from three different aspects: efficiency and transparency benefits, technical infrastructure and safety issues, and current legal frame analysis. Analytical part will also include arguments against the electronic signature, with the risks and threats description, especially the implementation process of such a solution, resistance to introduce changes when parliaments are at stake.