Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski now fully supports changing the labur laws so that the work week is extended to 60 hours – instead of the current limit put at 40 hours. The request was made by the US Bechtel company which was recently given a huge no-bid contract by Kovacevski and his deputy Artan Grubi to build highways in Macedonia, and demands that the laws are changed as part of the deal.

Other companies in construction have also asked the Government to do the same. This encouraged us to want to make the changes that would speed up the work and would put resources to better use, prevent slow down of work and increase productivity. This will help hire less workers who will work longer hours and more finances will remain in the country. Without these changes we will have more foreign workers coming, Kovacevski said.

The move flies in the face of the labour friendly agenda of the left. The contract, negotiated by Grubi, includes provisions that Macedonia will pay steep fines to Bechtel if the law is not amended.