Skopje, 4 December 2025 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is certain that the demand for a larger budget in the judiciary is exclusively for the purpose of higher wages, and adds that the state will not provide 0.8 percent of the GDP for the sector because other priorities have precedence.

"Those who say that the demand for larger budget in judiciary is not for higher wages don't tell the truth. It is exclusively about this, and I could argument it in detail. They want employments and promotions approved by the Council of Public Prosecutors and the Judicial Council. They say that the funds are not for wages by for employment of staff - IT, accountants, assistants. We say, ok, make a list in the courts and prosecutor's offices and we will provide the funds through a budget revision, from the Ministry of Finance," PM Mickoski told a press briefing on Thursday.

We will not give them the budget they want, he added, even if it is mandatory.

"This is because 0.8 percent of GDP is about US$160 million. We cannot do it because we have to earmark five percent for NATO, then come wages, pensions, social transfers etc," said Mickoski.

According to him, a Council of Europe report reads that in 2022, the state allocated 0.39 percent for the judiciary, "while our calculations show that the percentage is 0.44".

"Nevertheless, even if it is 0.39 percent, the increase they demand for employment of staff would bring the numbers to about 0.4 percent," said Mickoski.

MIA file photo