6th August 2024, Skopje
Distinguished Members of the Press,
First and foremost, allow me to express my condolences regarding the early departure of your colleague and my deepest condolences to his family.
I would like to use this opportunity to inform you that, upon the review by the Draft Supplementary Budget at the parliamentarian Financing and Budget Commission and the constructive debate thereon, the Government adopted the amended Draft 2024 Supplementary Budget, which will be submitted before the Parliament for its review and adoption at the plenary session.
Amended 2024 Supplementary Budget addressed several additional challenges in need of tackling by supplementing the budgets of certain budget users.
Under the amended Supplementary Budget, to be submitted to the Parliament, for adoption, additional funds have been provided for: State Election Commission, Commission for Protection of Competition, Personal Data Protection Agency, Operational-Technical Agency, Council of Inspection Authorities, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Education and Science, Customs Administration, Judiciary, Public Prosecution Office, Council of Public Prosecutors, Ombudsman’s Office, etc. More to the point, additional funds are being provided for wage payment, as well as for equipment purchase. Among the other, an additional amount of Denar 350 million has been provided for the State Election Commission, Denar 147 thousand for equipment purchase for the Inspection Council, Denar 60 million for the purchase of personal identification document’s materials for the Ministry of Interior, Denar 87.2 million for completion of the Otinja Dam Project, and additional Denar 20 million for compensation of property dispossession for the purposes of Otinja Dam Project (expropriation), Macedonian Academy of Science and Art has been provided with an amount of Denar 18.7 million for scientific research projects, as well as Denar 3.3 million for equipment purchase, and Denar 138 thousand for completion of the equipment purchase at the Ombudsman’s Office.
The Supplementary Budget is a document prepared and amended, which addresses the gaps within the initial Budget, whereby we are providing funds for payment of all liabilities regulated by law. Thus, funds have been provided for complete observance of all rights and servicing of arrears by the end of the year, funds for the pensioners, the public servants, the businesses, the health sector and the likes.
More precisely, Supplementary Budget provided:
- an additional amount of Denar 4 billion for wage payment – funds needed for implementation of the assumed liabilities for wage increase in accordance with the signed collective agreements and the legal solutions upon adopting the 2024 Budget, as follows:
- Ss. Cyril and Methodius University’s Collective Agreement and the amendment to the laws on higher education and science research activities,
- adjustment of minimum wage for employees, having the minimum wage as a component of the basic wage,
- wage adjustment according to the Cost of Living Index in the first half of the year, according to the provisions of the General Collective Agreement for the public sector employees, whose right will be observed with the wage payment as of September,
– additional Denar 5.1 billion for pension payment and providing better quality of life for the elderly population,
– additional financial support in the amount of Denar 800 million for beneficiaries of guaranteed minimum income,
– additional amount of Denar 1.7 million for health care, intended for health insurance, sick leaves and payment of liabilities,
– additional Denar 1 billion for TIDZ,
– additional Denar 1.7 billion for subsidies and transfers for direct financial support in the agricultural sector, and
– additional amount of Denar 437 million for student meals, as well as Denar 207 million for scholarships.
The Supplementary Budget provided Denar 6 billion for municipal projects.
Dear Members of the Press, the intention of the Government with this Supplementary Budget, is to provide smooth settlement of the liabilities towards citizens and businesses, including youths, athletes, farmers, pensioners, as well as public servants by observing their rights regulated under the collective agreements.
We are standing tall before the challenge of resolving the issues at hand and heading step by step in fulfilling our policies for better life for all citizens.
Thank you!
