Skopje, 13 December 2023 (MIA) - Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi said Wednesday the legal solution by which the Government proposes no increase in officials' wages in March will be ready next week or by the end of the year at the latest, and then submitted to the Parliament.

"We will probably present the legal solution to the Government next week or by the end of the year. There will be 61 MPs to act on the legal solution. There is no possibility of a different solution. I said I was firm that there should be no new increase in officials' wages from March according to the methodology, and that is the least that can be done. And I believe it should not be a matter of talks with any other stakeholder," said Bytyqi. 

In response to reporters' questions about reducing officials' wages by 78 percent, he reiterated that consensus was needed.

"Among the 1,260 officials there are judges, prosecutors, mayors, 120 MPs, 20 ministers, directors... They all have to agree that they want their wages to be reduced, and you see that essentially in our society it is difficult to reach a consensus on even more important issues, let alone on taking something from their budget," Bytyqi said after the signing of an agreement on reconstruction of a space allocated to the Jazz Orchestra of North Macedonia.

Photo: MIA archive