Skopje, 15 October 2025 (MIA) – The national budget is stable and liquid, with all obligations to citizens, companies and institutions serviced regularly and on time, the government said in response to opposition leader Venko Filipche, who claimed earlier Wednesday the state of the national budget was alarming, with statistics showing a shortfall of up to 1.4 billion euros by the end of 2025.

According to the government in a press release, revenues and expenditures are going in the right direction, according to the government's plan and annual dynamics, "with the greatest activity traditionally recorded in the last quarter of the year."

"Filipche, this is a rule that anyone following fiscal policy, even casually, should know," the government's release said.

The government also said they did not expect Filipche "to know and be an economist, but responsibility requires he at least consult with someone who understands numbers."

"Obviously, Filipche's advisors have not done their homework," the government said. "Instead of informing him, they are trying to trip him up politically by giving him inaccurate data on the economy. The government has no intention of taking part in petty political bickering, but it is our duty to present the facts."

According to the release, the government is pursuing a disciplined fiscal policy. The 2025 budget was planned carefully, based on a clear strategy focusing on capital investments, economic growth and social stability.

"The deficit is under control, public debt has been stabilized, and borrowing is within legal limits and directed toward development, not populism," the government said.

"During the SDSM era, budget holes were filled with unproductive borrowing and public debt increased by over a billion euros without any apparent economic effect. Today, we are looking at a responsible and fiscally disciplined policy that produces real results.

"These are concrete facts, not fabrications. The projected budget deficit for 2025 is 41.4 billion denars, 3.3 billion denars lower than in 2024. The realization so far is 36.4 billion denars, which is according to plan," the release said.

The government noted that public debt as of July was 58.7 percent and was expected to be lower than the projected 62.1 percent by the end of 2025.

"Shall we remind Filipche they exceeded this benchmark year after year? Shall we remind Filipche that in the first months of 2025, the Ministry of Finance paid off a Eurobond of 500 million euros issued in 2018 by the previous government?" the government said.

"While Filipche is trying to cause panic by manipulations and semi-information, the government remains focused on stability, growth and improving the citizens' living standards," the release said.

The government pointed out that capital expenditures as of Oct. 14 amounted to 20.8 billion denars, up by 17.9% compared to the same period last year.

"The economy is growing, inflation is stabilizing. Real GDP was up by 3.4% in the second quarter of 2025. Unemployment was down to 11.5%, at a historically low level. Inflation stabilized at 4% in September, with a downward trend. These are facts, not political platitudes," the government said. mr/