Skopje, 27 September 2023 (MIA) — All public prosecution staff natiowide have gone on strike after Justice Minister Krenar Lloga did not invite their representatives to a meeting to discuss higher pay, Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations secretary general Bojan Tripunoski told reporters Wednesday.

Speaking in front of the Skopje Primary Prosecutor's Office, Tripunoski said staff were demanding salary increases equal to those of appointed officials, or 78 percent, as well as the return of their bonuses.

He said the walkout would last until their demands were met.

According to Tripunoski, the staff will be striking in front of all 28 PPOs in the country. During the strike, only urgent matters will be addressed, in line with the law.

"We will not allow any pressure on employees to perform their work duties, except for those that are urgent," Tripunoski said.

"The justice minister was told we would go on strike, but he did not find the time to receive us and hear our demands."

Tripunoski said the union had submitted an amendment to the budget revision proposal requesting that their salaries be raised. "We are ready to resist any pressure," he stressed.

The public prosecution employees' revolt followed a Constitutional Court decision increasing high officials' salaries and cutting PPO employees' bonuses. Their bonuses ranged from 5 percent to 35 percent, the highest ones being given to staff in the organized crime department.

The average monthly paycheck of employees in public prosecutor's offices is 22,000 denars.

Also speaking in front of the Skopje PPO, its labor union representative Izabela Ilieva said raises foreseen in the General Collective Agreement were not enough. She urged Justice Minister Lloga and Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi to meet with the walkout organizers because, she said, the strike would be radicalized.

"These problems have been piling up for years, but now we are all as one. The strike began everywhere at 7:30 am. I call on the finance minister and justice minister to invite us as soon as possible. Let's not waste time. Let's sit down and start negotiating, because we really have a lot of issues to solve," Ilieva said. mr/