Skopje, 9 February 2026 (MIA) - The minimum wage is a sensitive issue and that is why there are no decisions being made under pressure or short-term political solutions, said Minister of Labor and Economy Besar Durmishi in a TV interview on Monday evening.

In an interview with TV Telma, Durmishi said the Government is waiting on data from the State Statistical Office, noting that wages will be adjusted by Mden 1500-2000 in March in accordance with the law.

Durmishi said the Government had not accepted recommendations from international institutions to raise taxes and the retirement age, in order, he said, “to help the citizens, even though we inherited an empty budget”.

The Minister said the Government would back any agreement between employers and unions on a higher minimum wage, while regarding the demand for the Government to cover contributions for a higher minimum wage, he said the private sector has already received assistance.

“We have done a lot for the private sector and we will continue to do so through the law on financial assistance of investments, the operational plan, assistance of small and medium-sized enterprises, the credit line of EUR 250 million... With this assistance they can hire more people and pay higher wages. There is a legal framework for the minimum wage, if the unions and employers reach an agreement we will support them. But not when it comes to this since we have been providing assistance since the very beginning of our term,” Durmishi said.

The Minister said the dialogue with public sector employees has been concluded, noting that the Government reached an agreement on Sunday with some of the representative unions to raise the wages of 11.000 administrative workers, after having previously done the same with wages in healthcare, education, defense, and police.

“This shows that dialogue can work when there is readiness on both sides,” Durmishi said.

Durmishi told TV Telma that the Government’s new methodology for calculating minimum consumer expenses, also known as the minimum consumer basket, will be put on the agenda for discussion at the next session of the Economic and Social Council, after which, he said, calculations will be carried out according to it. The methodology has already been prepared and submited to members of the council for review. 

“We are not against the union’s minimum consumer basket, but it includes fruit and vegetables that are not consumed during certain periods, as well as rent, even though according to the State Statistical Office, 90 percent of citizens live in their own homes. Also, prices are taken from two supermarkets, not from ten as we will do. There will be a realistically calculated and accessible consumer basket for the entire public,” Minister Durmishi said.

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