Businesses are worried that the new request from Zoran Zaev that the minimum wage is hiked from 12.500 to 13.000 denars (215 EUR) will affect their ability to hire new workers.

– The business sector cant’ accumulate additional costs. We need the Government to help us, otherwise we are not able to increase the salaries any further. This would affect the labour intensive sectors, said the Association of employers, during the May Day meeting organized by Zaev.

Businesses demand that the Government helps legalize the practice of companies who, hit by high taxes, pay a portion of their salaries under the table, avoiding bank transactions.

Zaev made a pre-election promise that he will increase the average salary to 500 EUR, and so far his preferred way to get there is by regulations and mandating hikes in the minimum wage.