Category: Economy
Economy 11.07.23 | 13:07

Only 4% of the Macedonian citizens have no financial problems

Only 4% of Macedonian citizens declared having enough money to pay for the monthly expenses without a problem, 64% can barely do that, while 29% said that their salaries are far from enough for a family’s basic needs, the latest IRI poll revealed. What is different from other years is that 3.5...

Economy 11.07.23 | 12:58

The Government and the Trade Unions reached an agreement: The salaries in the public sector will rise for 10%

The government has reached an agreement with the public sector unions regarding their requests of higher salaries and a new methodology for future salary raises. Public sector employees will receive 10 percent higher paychecks as of September as well as an annual leave allowance of MKD 10,000 for 2023. After...

Economy 10.07.23 | 17:39

Austrian company still can’t collect the millions it is owed by the Zaev clan

A court ordered public auction against the DENA pickles company, which is in the center of a political controversy, was postponed today. The Veles based company is owned by Atanas Kostov, an in-law of Zoran Zaev, who owes 4.5 million EUR to the Austrian AMMA wholeseller. Austrian Ambassador to Macedonian...

Economy 08.07.23 | 10:30

Government warns public sector employees who take leave to work abroad that they could be fired

Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Bytyqi said that public sector employees who take unpaid vacation time from their jobs to do seasonal work abroad for a better pay should be fired. With the lack of workers in the hospitality industry during the summer, as well as in other seasonal branches, it became popular...

Economy 07.07.23 | 20:02

Monthly cost of living estimated at a little over 48,500 denars

This June, the average Macedonian family spent 48,543 denars on basic necessities, shows data from SSM – the largest union in the country. SSM informs that there is a slight decrease in the value of the cost of living index in June, however, the prices of groceries are still increasing. The minimum...

Economy 05.07.23 | 15:44

The business community demands withdrawal of the Law on Solidarity Tax

The Macedonian businesspersons demand withdrawal of the draft-Law on Solidarity Tax, the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce informed on Tuesday. The Club 100 – representatives of the 100 most successful companies in the country – thinks that, “the Government intentions to sneak the law...

Economy 05.07.23 | 12:49

Prove of legal origin of the money won’t be required – the Government is determined to launder the “black money” with a civic bond

If a person buys ten bonds worth MKD 100,000, the interest after the first year would be MKD5,000, the second year as much, which means 10,000 profit for a 100,000 investment in two years. The original investment would be refunded at the second year’s end – Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Finance,...

Economy 04.07.23 | 12:45

Macedonian Railroads spent EUR100 million in five years with not even one project completed

Where did the money invested in the railroads went, the largest  opposition party VMRO-DPMNE asked on Tuesday, claiming that significant amounts were invested in the recent years, yet there are no visible results. “The railroad is among the most complex and significant infrastructural systems...

Economy 03.07.23 | 18:59

Government calls on EVN to introduce a cheaper daily tariff starting with December 1st

Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Bytyqi called on the EVN company to begin delivering cheaper energy for a period of time during the day, starting with December 1st. Bytyqi is calling upon a decision by the Energy Regulatory Agency. The cheaper daily tariff begins to be implemented on December 1st. I will...

Economy 03.07.23 | 13:27

In 18 months RKE issued 545 licenses for renewable energy production with total capacity of 270 MW

In the period between january last year, and une 2023, the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission (RKE) issued 545 licences for production of electricity from renewable sources, with a total installed power of almost 270 MW. This capacity may meet thee electricity needs of 104,000 average households. According...

Economy 01.07.23 | 16:56

EBRD helps put solar panels on top of the old coal mine in Kicevo

Macedonia’s struggling publicly owned energy company ELEM/ESM signed a contract with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to build a solar plant on top another section of the old Oslomej coal mine near Kicevo. EBRD is donating 1.5 million EUR that will be used to build a small 10MW...

Economy 30.06.23 | 14:22

Higher electricity price from July 1

Minister of Finance Fatmir Besimi said on Friday that there will be no legislative intervention in the VAT for the electricity bills, and the tax will jump to 18% from July 1. Minister said that as a compensation for the citizens, the Government will continue subsidizing the electricity production and...

Economy 30.06.23 | 14:15

From July 1 a tag device on Macedonian tolls – faster and 6% cheaper driving

The new, cheaper toll in Macedonia for the Serbian citizens starts tomorrow (July 1), and the same tagging device will be operational in both, Macedonia and Serbia. The drivers will obtain two benefits – faster moving at the toll stations, and cheaper use pf the highways by 6%. The common system...

Economy 30.06.23 | 11:02

Trade Unions: There is some movement from the deadlock, new meeting on Monday

Some shift in positions away from the deadlock was made, but a new meeting will be held Monday in an attempt to reconcile positions, said representatives of the unions after Thursday’s session of the Economic and Social Council, at which the unions reiterated that they will not give up on their demands. “We’ve...

Economy 30.06.23 | 10:57

Trenchevska: Social partners achieved a significant progress in the talks on public administration salaries raise

The social partners made significant progress in the negotiations over the growth of wages in the public sector, said the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy in a press release Thursday, following the session of the Economic and Social Council. The session was chaired by the Minister of labor and Social...

Economy 29.06.23 | 18:30

Kochoska – Dimitrioska: The 2023 Budget will be 200 million euros short

VMRO-DPMNE Vice-Chair Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska claims that the Budget will be €200 million short this year, due to poor VAT collection. The Budget will be filled by the social contributions and the personal tax, collected from the salaries, because, as worthless as the salaries are, their total...

Economy 29.06.23 | 11:48

VMRO-DPMNE Vice-Chair: The announced civil bonds are a laundering scheme for the ‘black money’

The Government’s announcement about issuing civil bonds is aimed at laundering the ‘black money’ accumulated in the country. This is corroborated by the fact that everyone who invests over €15,000 in the civil bonds is released from the obligation to prove the origin of the assets...

Economy 29.06.23 | 11:09

Fast and easy: The tolls in Macedonia and Serbia will be charged by one ‘tag’

The system for joint electronic toll charging by applying only one ‘tag’ while traveling through the country or in Serbia successfully passed all tests, it is ready for use and functional, the Public Enterprise for Public Roads informed on Thursday. The project was announced in 2021 within...

Economy 28.06.23 | 12:36

Eco Awareness: Thermal Power Station Bitola is the largest polluter in the entire West Balkan

The Thermal Power Station Bitola was the biggest polluter in the entire West Balkan in 2022 with sulphur dioxide and dust particles. The emissions from the TPS Bitola’s chimneys have doubled compared to 2021, despite of one of the blocks being out f order almost the entire year, due to a fire. According...

Economy 27.06.23 | 16:22

Mickoski: The next Government, lead by VMRO-DPMNE, will be tied to the farmers

The Government completely forgot the ten-year program for water supply. An audit of the already allocated land is needed, because larger parcels mean larger economically justified agricultural production, reduced expenses, and more benefit for the workers! – wrote Mickoski on Tuesday. -We need...

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