Ohrid, 20 September 2024 (MIA) - Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska Kochoska said Friday in Ohrid she stands by the announcements that wages of teachers in elementary and secondary education would increase.

"We are completing the budget and one of the aspects I am standing by is the wage raise for teachers in elementary and secondary education. I would like to see a wage increase in the health sector as well," Minister Dimitrieska Kochoska told reporters.

On the opposition's claims that the Hungarian loan funds would lead to a rise in the country's debt, she said the same amount of funds were also planned by the now-opposition party when in power.

"These EUR 500 million are the same they had planned in their budget. We did not increase anything. The difference is that they wanted to present a smaller percentage of the public debt and artificially inflated the growth rate. We only reduced it to a realistic level. Now they are trying to confuse the citizens by saying that we are increasing the debt. We are not changing anything, they planned a EUR 500 million eurobond, we say a EUR 500 million loan from Hungary, because the interest rate at the European market would stand at 5.5 percent, while the Hungarian loan comes with a 3.25 interest," said the FinMin.

Regarding reports that the loan funds originate from China, she said the loan comes from a Hungarian bank, while "their financing is of no importance to us".

"What is important for me is to get the funds from a Hungarian bank under my terms. This is the link, Macedonia-Hungary. Hungary's interest is the 3.25 rate and I see no problem in this. We received funds from an EU member-state and this is what matters to me," noted Dimitrieska Kochoska.

Photo: MIA