Skopje, 15 December 2023 (MIA) - Population projections by 2070 should serve as a roadmap on what we could expect, and policy creators should take them into account when adopting strategies for realization of the desired state of demography in the country, said State Statistical Office director Apostol Simovski on Friday.

Simovski told reporters after the presentation of the projections that the country's future from a demographic standpoint is not bright, but does not mean it cannot change. However, this requires investment of large efforts.

"This requires efforts and policy creation based on data. This is where we come in the picture. I hope this publication will contribute in creating the right policies that lead in the right direction," said Simovski.

According to him, the demographic future does not depend on the wish to have children but all societal factors.

"People nowadays do not emigrate because they cannot make a living in the country, but because they want to have real opportunities through quality education, healthcare, promotion, and meeting their cultural and other needs. This is where the country should act in order to have an impact on the demographic growth," said Simovski.

He added that Census data have shown the country lost more than 200,000 people over a period of 19 years, with about 12,000 people leaving the country per year. He noted experience from other countries has shown that migration increases during the accession process but a reversible process begins after EU membership.

Photo: MIA