Ohrid, 1 May 2026 (MIA) - The number of employees has increased by more than 15,000, and the number of unemployed has decreased by over 10,000 in the past year, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said during Friday's visit to Ohrid in response to a reporter's question on how the Government was helping workers and the economy.  

Mickoski mentioned financial support provided by the Government so far, but also mentioned collective agreements.

"The Government has provided subsidies. I'll remind you. We seem to be forgetting that somehow. About EUR 250 million in loans in the midst of the greatest crisis for the economy so that workers can keep their jobs. In the midst of the greatest crisis. And when the same amount from commercial banks is added to those EUR 250 million, we have brought ourselves to the position of being a country with the lowest interest rate that the economy uses in loans and in the development of its businesses. In addition, we have the increase in the number of jobs, also confirmed by the State Statistical Office in fact, which unequivocally stated that the number of employees has increased by more than 15,000, and the number of unemployed has decreased by more than 10,000 in the past year," the PM pointed out during Friday's cornerstone laying ceremony for a multi-storey garage construction. 

The Government, he noted, will continue to build good relations, partnership relations with the institutions that are "practically our colleagues."

"This includes collective agreements in healthcare, collective agreements in education, collective agreements in administration, in the Ministry of Interior, in Defense, etc. So, we have regulated the relations with our colleagues until the end of the mandate of this government, i.e. 2028, with 95 percent, and I would say maybe even a few percent more. And we will continue to move in that direction," the PM said.

PM Mickoski alongside Deputy PM Nikoloski and Mayor Pecakov also oversee reconstruction works at the Chinar Tree square, and inspect an ongoing project on the Metropol pumping station.

Photo: Government