Skopje, 3 February 2025 (MIA) – No agreement was reached on minimum wage, but there will be an official consumers’ basket that will be created by trade unions, the State Statistical Office, the organization of consumers and the ministries of economy and finances, it was agreed at Monday’s session of the Economic and Social Council (ESC) in the government.

The body tasked with defining the official consumers’ basket will be set up most likely at the next session of the ESC, said Vladanka Trajkoska, head of the employers’ organization. 

“No agreement was reached on minimum wage. We discussed the minimum union basket and agreed to set up an official consumers’ basket to define and take into consideration all elements deemed relevant for a basket,” she told reporters adding several topics were discussed, including minimum wage, but no conclusions were adopted. 

According to her, the European Commission has no directive on consumers’ basket. “Every country in the region and the EU has a trade union basket and a basket formed by the institutions and they differ radically. Trade union baskets are as twice as high. It involves political decisions and elements used by the trade union for its benefits and this is its way of exerting pressure,” Trajkoska stated after the session. 

Speaking to reporters before the session, the employers said minimum wage could be over 450 euros if the government subsidizes a portion of the contributions. 

Photo/video: MIA