Skopje, 6 April 2023 (MIA) - The Constitutional Court's decision, which repeals provisions of the law on salary and other benefits of state officials, is final and should be respected, given that the decisions of the Constitutional Court are final. But that doesn't mean that the wages of all the officials will automatically increase by the percentages mentioned in the public, it's all speculation for the most part, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski told Thursday's press conference at the Government. 

According to the PM, the limit to the rate of pay so far has in fact been the Government's position in the past period, and the Government has defended it before the Constitutional Court, which confirms that the Government has maintained the opinion that wages remain at current levels. 

He noted that the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, within its competence, has given a negative opinion on the initiative to change the articles of the law on salaries and other benefits to the Constitutional Court, which confirms the position that the legal solution for wages should not be changed. The Government's intention, he said, was and still is clear, and that is fair and justly paid work for all stakeholders in society.

"Although the rate of pay for the wages is increasing according to the decision, the Government is working on drafting a new salary law that will establish consistency in the payment of wages for all state officials, because there is an inconsistency in the payment of wages for officials," Kovachevski said, adding that the Government is also drafting a new collective agreement together with trade unions through an economic and social dialogue in order to regulate wages. 

Asked whether he would donate the money from the wage increase, Kovachevski said that he doesn't want to make PR out of it. 

"I believe donating is done to help someone, not to make PR out of it. That's how I'll continue in the future, and for the near future my family and I are preparing something for a health clinic," said Kovachevski. 

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