Eurasia Press & News
North Macedonia on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States on security issues linked with new telecommunications technologies, which is expected to indirectly bar China’s tech giants, Huawei and ZTE from the race in the country to build 5G.
“We have an obligation to align our telecommunications development policies with those of the EU as well as to align the security aspects of the implementation of the 5G network with our strategic ally, the US. This memorandum is of vital importance for the economic development and the security as North Macedonia and the United States accent the importance of encouraging participation of relevant and trustworthy network suppliers of 5G hardware and software”, North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said during the signing ceremony with the US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment, Keith Krach.
The authorities also say that parliament by the end of this year should change its Electronic Communication Law and other accompanying legislation to embed stricter rules against acquiring 5G equipment from so-called “untrusted” sources.
While leaders of North Macedonia, which only joined NATO earlier this year and is looking to start EU accession talks by the year’s end, say they will strictly abide by the alliance’s security protocols on 5G, the message will not resonate well with traditionally friendly China, whose firms, including Huawei, have a significant stake in its economy.
