Late on Tuesday, the Government issued a recommendation to the Health Insurance Fund (HIF) board, advising them to maintain current wage levels until the end of May.

In response to the Union’s demands regarding HIF wages, the Government conducted a thorough review and enacted a Decision to oversee the implementation and interpretation of the provisions outlined in the General Collective Agreement for the public sector. A commission, comprising representatives from both the Government and the Federation of Unions of Macedonia (SSM), has been established to monitor this process.

In the midst of these developments, HIF employees staged a two-day strike in protest against the Government’s proposal to decrease their wages by 21 percent. This resulted in the suspension of most operations across all subsidiaries, with only essential services remaining operational during the strike period.