Skopje, 11 December 2025 (MIA) — Judiciary staff have still not received their November paychecks, while the Judicial Budget Council is deliberating what to do about the payment of salary bonuses that are eight months overdue; if not paid, employees may stage a strike, UPOZ Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations leader Trpe Deanoski told a press conference Thursday.

According to Deanoski, court staff were demanding they be paid their overdue 25-percent salary bonuses but the judges were against this so the Judicial Budget Council was now "making new calculations and new mathematics" until it reached a decision. 

"Court employees have not yet received their paychecks as of Dec. 10," the union leader noted, adding that staff were also owed their annual leave allowance that needed to be paid by Dec. 15 at the latest.

The delay was caused by judges filing lawsuits on the basis of collective agreements signed by unionized workers, Deanoski said.

"Judges are appointed officials, not workers. They are officials like any others, like any minister, member of parliament, deputy minister, prime minister or parliament speaker," he said.

"An official cannot sue demanding rights laid out in collective agreements intended for us, the workers. This is a mockery of the country's entire judicial system," he said.

"For example, if a court employee files a lawsuit in any court, they wait three to four years for a ruling. If a judge sues… There was a recent example of this: A lawsuit was filed in July, and a final ruling was issued in August," the union leader said.

Asked how many employees had not received their paychecks, he said the courts currently had around 1,400-1,600 employees.

Deanoski also told the press conference that the UPOZ was launching a 24-month Erasmus+ project to encourage young people to make a difference in their own country by unionizing. The project will be implemented with partner organizations from Serbia, Croatia, Lithuania, Turkiye, Romania and Slovenia.

According to him, by promoting education, networks and solidarity, unions can raise a new generation of skilled, knowledgeable leaders and activists who can advocate for the rights and interests of young workers and take part in policymaking at both the national and the European level. mr/