Skopje, 8 January 2025 (MIA) — There is no state institution management unaware of the upcoming enormous exodus of employees if they are not given 30 percent raises as soon as possible, Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations leader Trpe Deanoski said in a Telma TV appearance on Wednesday evening.

This especially applied to skilled professionals, Deanoski said, adding that interest in public sector jobs was waning because of the low pay.

"No one responds to the job postings published by the Administration Agency or the ministries. Young people are not interested in working in the public administration," he said.

He said the starting salary in the public sector for a person with a university degree was 26,000 denars at the moment.

"Why would anyone work for 26,000 denars?" Deanoski said.

However, he said, to increase their salaries through collective agreements, unionized state institution staff needed the permission of the Ministry of Finance.

According to Deanoski, even state institutions making money from charging for their services could not give their employees raises without prior consent from the Ministry of Finance, under Article 4 of the Budget Execution Law.

"When public institution directors and managers are appointed and take an oath under criminal liability that they will reasonably manage their budgets, they should also be allowed to manage them — including giving raises to employees so they can retain them as employees," the union leader said. mr/