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December 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 22
Macedonia’s MEPSO installs optical network to enable fast Internet
Macedonian state-owned power transmission operator MEPSO is installing an optical network to enable faster internet, the company said.
The project is part of the government’s efforts to meet necessary standards for prospective EU membership, part of which is the digitisation strategy.
The watchdogs and other market players insist that online trade of pharmaceuticals is illegal un- der a governmental and presidential decree.
Representatives of Ozon.ru argue that the website is not breaking the law, as it is only illegal to sell drugs online if the consumer has no chance to "study" the medicine purchased. Ozon argues that consumers can study the assortment in the phar- macies operated by the retailer, or delegate this to the delivery service that delivers the medicine from the pharmacy.
Beru can both deliver the purchases, while certain prescription categories are made available for pick-up at Zdravcity pharmacy chains. The assort- ment of pharmaceutical products on the platform is planned to reach 70,000 names by the end of the year and expand its geography from the Mos- cow region to all of Russia. Ozon.ru also operates two traditional pharmacies in Moscow and Tver.
Russian watchdog starts a case on Google
Russian communication regulator Roskomnadzor opened an administrative case against Google for allegedly failing to connect to state registry of black- listed websites, the watchdog said on November 26.
Roskomnadzor famously waged a war against Tel- egram messenger founded by Russian self-exiled digital entrepreneur Pavel Durov, after it refused to comply with the court ruling obliging the mes- senger to pass the encryption keys to the Federal Security Bureau (FSB).
Google could face a fine of RUB0.5mn-0.7mn (up to $10,000) for failing to comply with Roskom- nadzor's demands and block about 0.12mn URLs currently on the registry. Reportedly the watch- dog has met with Doron Avni, Google's director for Public Policy & Government Relations in the EMEA region, but did not hear back with any pop- osals from the company.
Previously, in a case initiated by domestic internet major Yandex, Google had to comply with demands
"With the installation of MEPSO optical network, Macedonia creates conditions to enable citizens have broadband Internet access at a speed of at least 30 megabytes in the next three years," Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said at the ceremony to instal optical cables in the southern town of Strumica.
The project will also enable at least 50% of house- holds with subscription agreements to have ac- cess to super fast Internet with speed of at least 100 megabytes per second.
MEPSO is installing an optical network at 12 transmission lines in a total length of 200 km.
The project will cost around €1mn.
Russian online marketplace Ozon.ru warned against selling pharmaceuticals
Russian Ozon.ru online marketplace has been warned against selling pharmaceuticals online by RosZdravNadzor state medical watchdog, Interfax reported on November 1. The warning was shared with law enforcement authorities and other re- lated watchdogs, and was reportedly provoked by complaints from the Union of Professional Phar- maceutical Organisations (SPFO).
Previously in October Ozon.ru and another major online marketplace Beru of Yandex started sell- ing pharmaceuticals and other pharmacy-related products, but the legislation on the online trade of medicine still appears to be in a loosely defined grey zone.
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