Skopje, 4 October 2023 (MIA) — If the negotiations over pay fail, court staff nationwide will join the prosecution workers walkout and cause a shutdown of the entire judiciary, Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations leader Trpe Deanoski told a press conference Wednesday.

Deanoski welcomed the government's decision to form a negotiating team consisting of Minister of Finance Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Information Society and Administration Azir Aliu, Minister of Justice Krenar Lloga, and Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi to work together with the union's representatives on meeting their demands for 78 percent raises and the return of bonuses.

The workgroup is set to meet sometime this week, the government had said in a press release.

"We just want to let them know: at the first meeting we will ask to set deadlines. The workgroup should do its job in ten working days. If we don't reach an agreement and they don't accept our conditions, our strike will continue more relentlessly and prosecution staff will not perform any work duties," Deanoski said, adding that court staff nationwide as well as the Public Attorney's office staff would join the walkout so the entire judiciary is shut down.

"We expect to have productive negotiations with the government ministers and to find a way to meet our demands as soon as possible," the union leader said.

The Trade Union of Administration, Judiciary and Citizens' Associations' PPO labor union branch representative Izabela Ilieva said they would not take back their demands for a 78% salary increase and 35% bonuses.

She said they had already asked Justice Minister Lloga to fast-track a proposed Law on Public Prosecutor's Administration, which she said they should be consulted about, since it included provisions on their salaries and bonuses.

"If they think we will be bargaining for a 5% or 10% salary increase, let's not even start. Our demands are 78% raises and 35% bonuses. They should take us seriously. We are not backing down," she said.

"So let's not waste time. We are giving them up to 10 days for negotiations. If nothing happens, our strike will be even more relentless," she added. mr/