Skopje, 15 January 2025 (MIA) - If UPOZ (Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations) truly cares for the wages of workers, we invite them for talks to find a solution. Otherwise, the suspicion remains that UPOZ is a union that works for someone’s partisan interests, the Government said in a press release Wednesday in response to protests staged by state administration workers.

The Government said it is open for dialogue with all unions. Protests, it said, are not the best way to communicate.

“The protests are malicious and politically motivated. The Government has demonstrated it is a partner of the workers, that is why we are underscoring our readiness to negotiate with the unions and assess all of their proposals. We regret that UPOZ, despite participating in the Economic and Social Council within which we have always discussed all challenges, chose to protest. Staging a strike as the initial solution is not a legitimate step and demonstrates political instruction,” the Government said.

In the response, the Government said wages aren’t high, but, it said, the capabilities of the budget are also limited.

“The Government remains committed to making decisions in the interest of all citizens and raising the wages of employees, but the best way to find a solution to problems and contrasting positions is through dialogue,” the Government said.

In a statement earlier on Wednesday, the leader of UPOZ, Trpe Deanoski, dismissed any allegations of political motivations behind the state administration protest, noting that the union has staged protests over the issue on several occasions over the past years.

The protests of state administration workers continued on Wednesday with a protest in front of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, organizers said they would stage protests every day from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m., with a longer protest expected to be held on Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Finance

Photo: MIA Archive