The proposed amendments to the Law on games of chance, which successfully passed the first reading in Parliament, aim to create opportunities for scholarships benefiting understaffed sectors and a fund dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage. Recognizing the immense cultural heritage of our country, the amendments seek to address the shortage of personnel and financial resources required for its protection.

The funding will primarily support inadequate staffing levels, focusing on key areas such as art history, archaeology, and ethnology within the Faculty of Philosophy. Additionally, specific teaching groups within the Academy of Fine Arts and architecture students, particularly addressing the shortage of architects, archaeologists, and researchers, will benefit from this initiative. The dedicated account under the Ministry of Culture will serve as a focal point for all national institutions involved in cultural heritage protection. This move is vital as the current budget allocated through the Ministry of Culture is limited, hindering the implementation of programs aimed at encouraging students to pursue education essential for careers in cultural institutions.

Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojcevska emphasized during the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Student Assembly of the University “Sveti Kliment Ohridski” in Bitola that if there is a shortage of staff in specific teaching groups at the University of Bitola, efforts will be made to incorporate them into the amendments to this law. This approach aligns with the successful inclusion of Macedonian language students in the scholarship program. The Minister highlighted that the Memorandum of Cooperation with UKLO signifies a commitment to making culture more accessible to young people.

At the same time, we encourage cultural institutions to be more creative in making programs for young people.” This makes it possible to raise the student standard and the most important measure of all politicians is to keep young people in the country,” said the Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska at today’s event at Bitola University.