Skopje, 17 November 2021 (MIA) – The Ministry of Health (MoH) has responded to the claims by the Confederation of Free Trade Unions (KSS) that the measures recommended by the Commission for Infectious Diseases amount to “forced vaccination”. Earlier in the day, the Commission recommended to the Government that all employees in the public sector and local self-government are required to show proof of at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine or a negative PCR test not older than 72 hours, taken at their own cost. “Employees have the option of presenting a negative PCR test once a week if they decide not to get vaccinated and all those having health issues that prevent them from receiving the jab are not forced to do this. These measures are already applied in many regional countries, such as Slovenia, Croatia and Greece, but also across Europe. Amid a threat of a new strong covid-wave, it is the duty of the Ministry and the Commission to put forward measures that will produce results in preventing the virus spread but also increasing the percentage of inoculated population,” the Ministry of Health says in a press release. It adds that protests and other forms of manifesting displeasure from the measures are a democratic right but also go against the recommendations coming from global health institutions. “We urge for responsibility by all citizens and stakeholders in society, so that we jointly overcome all challenges caused by the pandemic that is still fatal across the globe. We ask for support to the measures that are in the public health interest and protection of the health system, which is primarily strained by unvaccinated persons in need of hospital treatment,” underlines the MoH.