Skopje, 7 November 2022 (MIA) - The economic crisis caused by the pandemic and the Russian aggression against Ukraine has set in motion price shocks and growing costs of living in Europe and around the world. The country ranks high in terms of Covid-19 mortality, air pollution poses a chronic problem and we also report poor results in education and media literacy. We have to double the national efforts in order to achieve stronger economic and social development, President Stevo Pendarovski has said. In a speech at Monday's presentation of the UNDP Human Development Report 2021/2022, Pendarovski said that half of the Southeastern European countries have a very high human development with the other half reporting high human development. North Macedonia, he noted, is on the bottom of the second group. "It shouldn't come as a surprise having in mind that in the healthcare segment, our ranking in terms of Covid-19 mortality is high, air pollution is a chronic issue and we score low in the PISA testing. The ranking is low also in terms of media literacy. For example, Finland, the best ranked European country, has five times more scores about media literacy than we do," stated Pendarovski. According to the President, it is highly unlikely high living standards to be expected without adequate health protection, quality education and media literacy. "These situations are largely caused externally and they simply don't depend on us - climate change, geopolitical tensions, economic, energy and health crises are all global distresses that stall progress. In addition to external influence, our development lacks satisfactory tempo also due to a series of internal factors," said Pendarovski. We've been witnessing, he added, a decades-long history of unfinished reforms as well as corruption, clientelism and gray economic, which undermine the people's trust in institution. "Almost every government the country had since its independence inherited and left behind systemic shortcomings." "This report shouldn't serve for daily political interpretations, because every generation of political leaderships bear responsibility for the state we're in more or loss. It shouldn't come as a surprise that in this context there are preconditions for rise in Europessimism, populism and authoritarian tendencies," said Pendarovski. According to the head of state, the report noted yet another worrying tendency - inequality. The poor, he noted, pay the highest price being the most vulnerable group in times of crisis. "The UNDP index points out the most critical points we need to focus on to make up for the years lost and to achieve higher development level. To meet the goal of higher human development for all Macedonian citizens, we need to do three things - firstly to face reality; secondly to find solutions and thirdly, we need political will in order to make the necessary changes," said Pendarovski. The development strategic documents provide us with solutions and the ongoing negotiations for EU membership serve as an additional incentive for vital reforms, he concluded.