Skopje, 10 November 2022 (MIA) - Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Jovanka Trenchevska, alongside the Austrian Attaché of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection Harald Fugger, and the Employment Service Agency head, Bekim Murati, attended the final workshop of the bilateral project to support youth employment services in the country. Minister Trenchevska said that providing employment opportunities and creating prospects for all citizens is the responsibility of the Government and that the responsibility is even greater when it comes to young people, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy said in a press release. “As regards young people and their status on the labour market, there has been a noticeable improvement in the employment of young people in recent years. In 2021, about 94,000 young people were not employed in the Republic of North Macedonia, were not included in education or training, which corresponds to a quarter of the total young population. This share, although still large, is in a downward trend compared to 2016, when 136,000 young people were not in employment, education or training category,” Trenchevska said. She noted that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Government have a systemic approach to solving the problems faced by young people through the implementation of employment policies and the adoption of special laws such as the Law on Internship, the Law on Youth Allowance and the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies. She also referred to preparation of new National Employment Strategy. “The new National Employment Strategy foresees continuation of the Youth Guarantee measure. Namely, we are preparing a new Youth Guarantee plan for the next four years, which will be adopted by the Government by the end of the year. In the new plan, we pay particular attention to strengthening the so-called field activities, which are key in identifying and mobilizing inactive young people,” Trenchevska said. Minister Trenchevska thanked the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection for supporting the country on its EU path.