Skopje, 8 May 2026 (MIA) - The National Development Strategy 2024-2044 that the Parliament has adopted puts demography in the center of policymaking as one of six key strategic areas. This is not a coincidence but a response to the realities we share with most of the countries in the region and Europe, Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi told the regional ministerial conference "Leading Change: People-Centred Paths to Demographic Resilience", organized by the Ministry of Social Policy, Demography and Youth, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

On the second day of the regional conference, Speaker Gashi said the country is faced with clear and challenging trends - aging of the population, shrinking birthrates and workforce, youth migration, and concentration of population in urban areas.

"These structural transformations have a direct impact on the labor market, the retirement system, healthcare and sustainability of the economic development. In this context, the Parliament's role is crucial and indispensable, both as an institution that drafts the framework for long-term policies and as an oversight mechanism that guarantees their efficient implementation. Moreover, its role as a democratic forum is to build a sustainable political and societal consensus for strategic interests such as demography, which goes beyond election interests," said Gashi.

According to him, the country's demographic challenge is not related to numbers only but quality of life, thus requiring an integrated response and approach.

"Our approach should focus on full use of the population's potential, through investments in human capital, creation of real opportunities for young people, strengthening the role of women and guaranteeing decent living conditions for all groups in society," said Gashi.

UNFPA Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director, Pio Smith, said the event should give the answer on how to cope with the demographic challenges.

"By employing properly tailored, timely measures, demographic change may not seem so threatening, and we can deal with the consequences," said Smith while warning that current demographic trends require an adapted approach.

The conference brings together ministers, other high-ranking government officials and international experts from over 30 countries to discuss strategies for addressing the profound demographic transformations reshaping the wider Eastern Europe and Central Asia region.

Photo: MIA