Llukarevska: Government Is Lowering Living Standards as Prices Continue to Rise

Sanja Llukarevska, an MP from SDSM, described the budget revision adopted by Parliament today as evidence that the Government had mismanaged its economic planning.

Appearing on “Sitel,” she said that instead of taking concrete measures to improve living standards, the executive is opting for new borrowing and a wider budget deficit without explaining how the additional funds will be used.

“This budget revision does not represent development. On the contrary, it is largely the result of poor planning. My main question today was where the failure occurred: on the revenue side, the expenditure side, in the deficit, or in all three areas combined. We have a budget deficit of 7 billion denars, and the public still has no answer as to exactly what these funds will be spent on,” Llukarevska said.

According to her, the Government mentions new projects, investment and development, but has not presented a clear plan detailing how and where the funds will be used or what impact they will have on improving citizens’ lives.

Llukarevska said the executive’s economic policies are not delivering results, while citizens face rising prices and declining living standards every day.

“The Minister of Economy is completely failing to deal with price shocks. He is completely undermining the measures. Prices are rising constantly, heating costs are increasing, fuel prices are going up, we have not properly paid subsidies to farmers, and we have not provided assistance to the vulnerable groups that need it. For the first time, certain hospitals that have operated for 40 years now have their accounts frozen. The reality, therefore, is that we are not moving in the right direction,” she said.

Referring to the country’s financial situation, Llukarevska said the data point to a serious deterioration in public finances./Telegrafi/