Under the new legal definition, the term “giveaway” is defined for the first time as a game of chance, where participation is conditioned by actions such as liking, tagging, sharing or posting content. These are organized with the aim of promoting products or services through the internet, mobile devices or other platforms.

To obtain a permit, the organizer must submit an application to the Ministry of Finance no later than 30 days before the start of the game. The application must also include the relevant documentation, including the game rules, proof of the origin of the prizes, registration documents and certificates confirming payment of public obligations, while legal entities must also provide a certificate showing they are not banned from organizing games of chance.

The law stipulates that the 18 percent tax on the prize fund must be paid within three days of receiving the permit. If this does not happen, the permit is revoked.

The rules of the prize game must also be published before it begins, while the winners must be announced no later than three days after the drawing. The prizes must be delivered within the deadline set out in the rules, but this deadline may not exceed 60 days from the announcement of the results.

The legal provisions also specify what the game rules must obligatorily contain, including details about the organizer, the conditions for participation, the method of selecting winners, the value of the prizes, the complaints procedure, as well as the ban on participation for the organizer’s employees and their close family members.

A “giveaway” game may not last longer than one year.

According to the Ministry of Finance, these new rules bring greater transparency, legal certainty and protection for participants, while at the same time imposing clear obligations on the organizers of these promotional games.

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According to the Ministry of Finance, following this latest transfer from the central budget to the Development Bank, the total amount of funds placed in the domestic economy for the implementation of company investments has reached 14.5 billion denars, or 235.8 million euros.

“The total budget for supporting domestic companies provided for in the budget is 250 million euros, while the value of the investment cycle is estimated at around 300 million euros. The funds secured by the Government and made available to domestic companies under favorable conditions are intended for the implementation of private investments, thereby ensuring their development and stimulating economic growth.”

The ministry stresses that these funds will be made available to final beneficiaries through commercial banks, with an annual interest rate of 1.95%, a repayment period of up to 15 years, and a grace period of up to 3 years.

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In Parliament, during the committee debate on the 2026 Budget rebalance, Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska said in her presentation that public finances remain stable, revenues are moving in line with expectations, and spending is focused on implementing legal obligations and priority development policies.

According to her, the vast majority of revenue is secured through regular economic activity. Tax revenues reached 96.7 billion denars, of which 43.3 billion denars came from VAT, accounting for around 44.7% of total tax revenues. A total of 17.5 billion denars was collected from personal income tax, 13.8 billion denars from profit tax, and 13.9 billion denars from excise duties.

The data show that revenues from personal income tax increased by 11.7%, those from profit tax by 14.5%, VAT by 16.4%, while import customs duties rose by 8.3%.

The minister stressed that these developments indicate the continuity of economic activity, the functioning of companies, wage growth, and more efficient revenue collection, alongside a reduction in the grey economy.

In the same period, social contributions, as an essential source of financing for the pension and healthcare systems, reached 58.8 billion denars, or 7.5% more than last year.

As for expenditures, budget execution reached 205.9 billion denars, with a focus on the regular fulfillment of legal obligations toward citizens and the economy.

A total of 1.2 billion denars was paid out for refunds from the solidarity tax. Some 58.1 billion denars was allocated for pensions, 25.5 billion denars for healthcare, and 7.6 billion denars for social protection. Meanwhile, municipalities received 15.1 billion denars through block grants, as well as an additional 2.4 billion denars from VAT.

In the first half of the year, the state settled all obligations to domestic and foreign creditors. A total of 12 billion denars was paid in interest, while 60.7 billion denars went toward principal repayments, which, according to the minister, is important for maintaining the confidence of investors and international financial institutions.

She underlined that financial discipline and the regular settlement of obligations continue to be a priority.

Capital expenditures for this period reached 19.4 billion denars, marking annual growth of 53.5%. These funds were directed toward infrastructure, schools, kindergartens, healthcare facilities, energy, and local development. A total of 6.3 billion denars was spent on Corridors 8 and 10-d, while 2.1 billion denars was allocated to municipal infrastructure projects.

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Speaking at a press conference at the Government, where she presented a review of the work done, she said that over these two years, deliberate decisions were made in favor of discipline, fiscal responsibility and long-term solutions, instead of short-term populism.

According to her, macroeconomic indicators clearly confirm this direction. She recalled that from 2017 to 2023, average economic growth was around 1.8 percent, while the current momentum is significantly higher, with 3 percent growth in 2024 and 3.5 percent in the 2025 and 2026 period, reflecting a stable and positive trajectory of economic growth.

Dimitrieska-Koçoska also stressed that inflation, which reached 14.2 percent in 2022 and significantly hit citizens’ living standards, has now declined. According to her, although global uncertainties continue and the consequences of one of the biggest energy and economic crises of recent decades are still being felt, inflation stood at 4.8 percent in May. She added that projections for this year remain within the framework of expected stability.

“This means that we managed to cushion global price shocks and once again ensure a predictable economic environment. This is especially important because stable inflation creates conditions for real wage growth. Over these two years, wage growth continued at a strong pace. Nominal wage growth in 2024 was 12.6 percent, in 2025 it was 9.6 percent, and this year we also expect growth of over 8 percent. But even more importantly, after a long period, citizens are once again seeing real income growth. After real wages fell by 2.9 percent in 2022, they rose by 8.8 percent in 2024, while in 2025 they increased by a full 5.3 percent. This is a key signal that real purchasing power is improving. We are aware of citizens’ problems, we live through them together and are working hard to solve them,” the minister stressed.

She underlined that the improvement is visible in almost all economic statistical indicators.

The minister said that these figures will remain as proof of the work that has been done, adding that economic results are not achieved overnight. According to her, they are backed by major commitment and continuous work at the Ministry of Finance over the past two years.

Dimitrieska-Koçoska stressed that restoring confidence in fiscal policy was one of her personal motivations for accepting the post. She explained that when she took responsibility, the main objective was to stabilize public finances. With the rebalancing of the 2024 Budget, according to her, liquidity was secured, the regular payment of wages, pensions and social transfers was guaranteed, and the timely servicing of state obligations was made possible. She added that this priority was also reflected in subsequent budget decisions and will remain so in the future.

During this period, the minister said, 4.4 billion euros of public debt has been serviced, while another 983 million euros will fall due by the end of the year.

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The Ministry of Finance said that it has completed eight steps, out of the total 22 steps fulfilled by the country, which has led to the approval of 142.1 million euros under the Reform Agenda.

These positions were highlighted by Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska at a working meeting with the ambassadors of the European Union member states, which was dedicated to the implementation of the Reform Agenda and the country’s priorities in the European integration process. She assessed that the Reform and Growth Instrument represents a crucial impetus for changes that will strengthen public institutions, advance management, encourage economic growth and accelerate the country’s path toward membership in the European Union.

The minister also underlined that the European Commission’s support for the country’s reform efforts, through regular monitoring meetings and the provision of technical assistance, helps advance key policy areas.

As part of the Reform Agenda, the Ministry of Finance has fulfilled the step related to strengthening public internal financial control. According to the ministry, the adoption of the Law on Public Internal Financial Control has ensured full harmonization with international standards and EU principles.

In addition, more than 80% of budget users at the central level and 75% at the local level submit reports on completed internal audits. Meanwhile, more than 70% of primary budget users at the central level have prepared a risk management document, including corruption risk, while identified risks are recorded in plans for their mitigation.

The statement also highlights progress in advancing the public procurement system. Specifically, the use of auctions for procurement during fiscal year 2025 has been reduced to a maximum of 40% of procurements, meeting the projected target for the use of e-auctions. Moreover, their share remains below the maximum threshold set in the Reform Agenda, contributing to greater transparency, competition and efficiency.

Progress has also been recorded in the implementation of the Law on Budgets, as well as in deepening reforms in public investment management. Following the adoption of the Regulation on Public Investment Management, the Ministry of Finance drafted and published guidelines for the preparation of feasibility studies and the Manual for the public investment management process. Training was also conducted for employees in the public sector on their implementation. The final priority list of public investment projects was approved by this committee in May 2026, while the next step remains its approval by the Government.

The ministry also said that a temporary IT solution has been developed, supplemented with data from approved project concepts and monitoring reports. In this way, a centralized database has been created that includes both projects under implementation and new projects at the national level, supporting the selection of candidate budget projects and the monitoring of their financial implementation.

During the past period, within the framework of the Reform Agenda, all 17 by-laws envisaged under the Law on Budgets have been adopted.

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According to Koçoska, in the previous period the Ministry of Finance gave approvals in line with the funds available for each institution. She said that in this case as well, the data were not submitted properly. The minister explained that last year, at the time when approvals had been requested for service contracts, permanent employment for 38 people had simultaneously been approved. For this, she said, discussions were held with the director, who was made clearly aware that in the following year the fiscal impact of these 38 hires would be higher and that, for this reason, the budget must be adjusted to the new obligations.

The minister also stressed that employment approvals are not related to doctors and nurses, but mainly to technical staff, underlining that every such decision must be in harmony with budgetary capacities.

“I must certainly stress that when it comes to employment approvals, this is not about hiring doctors and nurses. If you ask the director, let him present the approvals and let us see whether the Ministry of Finance has so far refused any request for a doctor or nurse. As for technical staff, this must be aligned with the financial resources we have available. I cannot agree with the claims that we have not provided support, when 38 approvals for permanent employment were granted and more than 65 people were hired, whether on a permanent basis or under contract. We cannot give approvals only for one clinic, because this concerns a considerable number of hires within one year, while at the same time we must also take care of the other clinics,” declared Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska Koçoska.

Following the finance minister’s statement, the former employees reacted, saying that it is not right for responsibility to be continually shifted from one institution to another while no one concretely takes responsibility or provides a solution. They added that they are not the ones who decide on employment, contracts or payments, but are the people who went to work every day, carried out their duties and enabled the normal functioning of the institution.

“Instead of everyone pointing the finger at one another, we expect all competent institutions to sit down at one table and finally find a solution. Workers should not be victims of administrative omissions, interinstitutional misunderstandings or political clashes,” the former employees said./Alsat/

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