Skopje, 1 March 2025 (MIA) - Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski said Saturday there is a shortage of police officers working on the ground, while in the meantime there is overstaffing in other services at the Ministry of Interior. Because of this, he noted, a new law on interior affairs and a new law on police are being drafted. He added that a new systematization will also be prepared in the future, which will enable rational and efficient spending of citizens' money, and enable police officers to be visible on the ground.

"Not only in terms of the Tetovo police, but almost across the entire country, in the part of the services within the Ministry where there is hard work, where a police officer needs to be on the ground, so that Macedonian citizens can be safe, we always lack employees. In the other, more comfortable, part, where they are not exposed to rain and wind, and not on the streets where they are exposed to life-threatening situations, there is a surplus of employees," Toshkovski said in response to a reporter's question during a visit to Tetovo on Saturday. 

He added that operational plans will be undertaken and all employees at the Ministry of Interior will be activated. According to him, this has already started in Skopje, and Tetovo will be the second city where the operational plan will be implemented with internal distribution within the framework of the existing mobility.  

"Time will tell shortly, in two weeks from now you will see a difference compared to before. We are working hard on a new law on interior and a new law on police, and also on a new systematization in the future. We need to enable police officers to be visible on the ground, and in order to be visible on the ground, they need to be on the ground," said Toshkovski. 

He noted that an in-depth analysis is being carried out and work is underway to introduce substantial changes to the legal regulations.

Toshkovski said that the March salary which Ministry of Interior employees are to receive in April will be increased by about 10 percent.

"This has already been discussed with all stakeholders within the Government. It has also been discussed with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. If you ask me, it should have been increased by much more, but in the coming period we will have a continuous increase in the salaries of police officers, especially those who put their lives at risk. We will have many steps in the future that will be aimed at improving the working conditions of police officers," said Toshkovski. 

Photo: print screen

Video: Ministry of Interior