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Filipçe: The government spends on luxury while workers struggle to live on 26,000 denars

SDSM leader Venko Filipçe said at a press conference today that, while workers in Macedonia have to survive on a minimum wage of just 26,000 denars, Mickoski is using public money for luxury expenses. According to him, at a time when food and fuel prices are rising, the government should support workers and families, not finance luxury.

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Filipçe announced that he had submitted a bill establishing a minimum wage of 600 euros. On this occasion, he said the government should reduce luxury spending and use the funds saved to increase the minimum wage.

“The Budget contains items that clearly provide for spending on luxury goods, furniture, vehicles, travel and members of the government. Let them cut these expenses, because that is where the money for increasing the minimum wage can be found,” Filipçe said.

He accused the government of using citizens’ money and trying to conceal this reality instead of limiting luxury spending.

“At a time when the government allows itself luxury and spends public money in an uncontrolled and non-transparent manner, as also happened with this concert, for which he claimed that 0 denars had been spent, the documents we obtained the following day showed the opposite. All citizens saw that the prime minister was lying and using their money for luxury parties and celebrations, while some citizens cannot make ends meet,” Filipçe said.

According to him, the difference is clear: funds exist for the government’s luxury, but not in the amount necessary to enable workers and citizens to live a dignified life.

“When the minimum trade union basket is close to 70,000 denars, while including the rent for an apartment or the loan installment for the same apartment brings the amount to 90,000 or even more than 90,000 denars, the minimum wage practically covers only 37 or 31% of total expenses. It amounts to 37% when apartment rent or a loan is not included, and 31% of total costs when the family pays rent or repays a housing loan,” Filipçe stressed.