Skopje, 11 February 2026 (MIA) — Protesting workers will block the Economic Chamber, the Organization of Employers and the Business Confederation premises Thursday noon, SSM Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia president Slobodan Trendafilov announced Wednesday.

"They should not worry. There will be 21 of us representatives of the union again — as many as are necessary according to the legal minimum to take to the streets and block them," Trendafilov said. 

"In front of the Economic Chamber, we will block the bosses who have been blocking workers for 36 years. The bosses who refused to increase workers' paychecks and the minimum wage until late last year, yet who keep complaining that skilled workers are leaving Macedonia," he said.

"We will block the bosses who got scared by the government's and the political parties' threats," he said.

The union leader also said the workers' protest over pay would continue until the minimum wage was raised to at least 600 euros and all other paychecks were increased by 6,000 denars.

Trendafilov called on all workers to join the blockade Thursday "even for five minutes" because even five minutes counts, he said. "The others are counting them," he said.

He said a mass protest would follow soon, joined by workers from several cities nationwide. "A protest that will be organized on a non-business day so many more than 21 people can take to the streets," he said, adding that unions were also considering "organizing a general strike in the public and private sectors if they keep the dismissive attitude."

Trendafilov also requested law enforcement authorities and prosecutors take measures against VMRO-DPMNE MP Dafina Stojanoska, who had posted information on his minor children online "so everyone could slander them," he said.

In addition, the union leader requested Parliament Speaker Afrim Gashi initiate a procedure to revoke Stojanoska's parliamentary immunity. mr/