Skopje, 10 October 2024 (MIA) - The economy is the main and strategic priority for the Government, i.e. improving economic performance, because if we do not have a good and stable economy, then we have nothing in the country, Primer Minister Hristijan Mickoski told Thursday's constitutive session of the Economic and Social Council, the Government said in a press release.

Mickoski said that in order to have a stable economy there must be rule of law, which has not been the case in the past period, noting that there will be improvements in the coming period, because no foreign or Macedonian investor would want to invest in a country which does not have rule of law.

"In order to have good and stable economy we need rule of law, something which, unfortunately, we do not have, and we will try in the coming period to improve and have real rule of law, because if we do not have a just state, domestic and foreign investors will not want to invest their funds. These two parameters go hand-in-hand in that direction," said the PM.

He stressed the dialogue between unions, employers, and the Government is important for creating conditions for the start of a process that will lead to a sustainable economy and rule of law.

"Usually there is dialogue between unions and employers in terms of creating conditions so we can function, and I believe that with today's constitutive session we can start one such process that will lead us to a sustainable economy, rule of law, and quality dialogue between these three sides - the unions, employers, and the Government," Miskoski stressed.

The PM pointed out that he inherited failing institutions with large debts, in terms of current expenditures alone, as of June 24, the Budget  was Mden 30 billion (EUR 48,640,531,111) short.

"We had unpaid expenses to the private sector, where almost EUR 200 million are still being updated. There are even more now, as time passes more arrive. The Agency for Financial Support of Agriculture is out of almost EUR 150,000, outside current expenses, and almost Mden 5 billion (EUR 81,036,945) are missing from the regular payments for pensions.  Close to Mden 4,2 billion (EUR 68,071,034) are missing from the regular salary payments from the initial version of the Budget, additional obligations under the foundation of public enterprises to international financial institutions of Mden 5,1 billion (EUR 82,657,684). Almost Mden 1,7 billion (EUR 27,552,561) are missing from the Health Insurance Fund in the initial version of the Budget, Mden 800 million (EUR 12,965,911) guaranteed minimum income, Mden 437 million (EUR 7,082,629) in subsidized student meals, Mden 207 million (EUR 3,354,929) in scholarships, almost Mden 300 million (EUR 4,862,217) in block subsidies, Mden 1 billion (EUR 16,207,389) in subsidies for TIDZ companies, etc. The list is long, and as of June 24, the Budget is missing Mden 30 billion (EUR 48,640,531,111) for current expenditures," Mickoski explained.

He expressed dissatisfaction that the Economic and Social Council has not been as active when the Budget was previously created, as some individuals have been in the past 100 days. But, that is the situation, Mickoski said adding that funds have been secured by increasing payments in key sectors, such as the Public Revenue Office and Customs Administration Office, stressing that there are no longer fictitious companies that invent millions of sums for VAT revenues and thus steal the state.

PM Mickoski pointed out that the Government is a partner which unions and employers can trust and cooperate with, and not a party that wants to impose itself as authority, reads the press release. ssh/nn/

Photo: Government