The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) says that rising prices and wages that do not offset the increased cost of living are making life increasingly difficult for families. The opposition party accuses the government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of failing to take measures to preserve living standards.
According to SDSM, living expenses have risen by 4,000 denars since the beginning of the year, while further price increases are expected from January. The party notes that almost every month this year has brought higher prices for products and services, making it more difficult to meet everyday needs.
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The minimum trade union basket for October, according to the statement, exceeded 70,000 denars, while the amount approaches 90,000 denars when rent is included. SDSM claims that even three minimum wages are not enough to cover a family’s basic expenses.
The party claims that around 180,000 workers earn less than 31,200 denars per month and that the minimum wage remains approximately 26,000 denars. It describes a reality in which working throughout the month does not provide enough income to live on and disputes the claim that the country is Europe’s third economy, saying that the standard of living is one-third of the European level.
SDSM says that Mickoski did not accept its proposals for dealing with the crisis, including raising the minimum wage to 600 euros and providing financial assistance to farmers. According to the party, the prime minister rejected these measures at the start of the crisis, and the government is not intervening sufficiently to protect purchasing power, even though the cost of living continues to rise.
The new budget rebalancing, according to the opposition, also contains no concrete steps to raise the minimum wage, curb price increases or support agriculture. SDSM criticizes the government for taking on new debt and creating financial obligations that will also be left to future generations instead of providing direct assistance to citizens.
The response mentions the lack of an increase in the minimum wage, measures against rising prices and assistance for farmers, as well as new debt and high interest rates, the burden of which, according to SDSM, will be borne by citizens and future generations. The party claims that during Mickoski’s two years in government, the debt increased by four billion euros, approximately half of the total debt the state had previously accumulated. It adds that, despite the borrowing and repeated budget rebalancing, citizens are facing increasingly severe difficulties.
SDSM attributes the deterioration in living standards to the government’s economic policies and accuses it of prioritizing party interests over the needs of workers and citizens. According to the party, the consequences of these decisions are that workers lack money, while funds are being allocated to party tenders.
