Prime Minister Zoran Zaev will meet with the SONK union of public sector teachers in an attempt to stave off their strike planned for 10 days from now. The union demands a salary increase of 25 percent, citing increases under the previous, VMRO-DPMNE led Government, while Zaev only offers 10 and downplays the previous hikes.

It’s a fact that VMRO-DPMNE increased the wages by 10 percent over 11 years and we increased the salary by 10 percent over two and half years. We manage the budget reasonably and don’t waste money on stupid things. We sent a message to SONK that we now offer 10 percent more which means that the cumulative increases under my Government would amount to 21.4 percent, Zaev told the members of Parliament, where he announced his meeting planned for tomorow.

Dragan Danev from VMRO-DPMNE replied that Zaev made hefty promises ahead of the 2016 elections and the union is now calling him out on that and demands that teacher salaries rise over the average wage of 25.000 denars..

VMRO-DPMNE increased the public sector salaries and the pensions twice. Under your model, the salary should now amount to nearly 29.000 denars, Danev told Zaev.