31st January 2025, Skopje – Public finances are stable and liquid. Budget is being executed as per the projections, alongside the regular servicing of liabilities. At the end of 2024, both 2024 budget deficit and public debt were lower than the projections. Process of 2018 Eurobond repayment was successfully completed, with series of reforms under the EU Agenda completed or underway, Minister of Finance, Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, highlighted at the press conference, also attended by the Director of the Public Revenue Office, Elena Petrova, the Director General of the Customs Administration, Boban Nikolovski, the Manager of the Financial Police Office, Slobodan Ivanovski, the Directors of the Financial Intelligence Office, Kujtim Ibishi, the Public Procurement Bureau, Mare Bogoeva-Micovska, and the Legal Affairs Office, Zoran Krstanovski, who presented the implemented and the ongoing activities.
Minister underscored the commitment of the institutions involved being the reason behind the achieved results.
“In 2024, budget revenue collection was by 10.3% higher compared to the previous year, with tax and excise revenue performance accounting for 100.19%. Such higher revenue performance was not due to a price increase, as inflation stabilized, but it was rather a result of the efforts made by the respective institutions in collecting revenues in line with the legal regulations. It would be overly bold on my behalf to state that the achieved results are not satisfactory, but we are to always strive for better, which we will focus on this year, as well as in the forthcoming period. We will be strongly committed to tackling informal economy, a source of revenues which the state is to collect“, the Minister said, emphasizing both that all are to observe the laws and that the institutions have mechanisms available to monitor the implementation of legal regulations, which they can apply at any given time.
She pointed out that 2024 was rounded off with both a deficit and a public debt lower than the projections, with the economy growth projections expected to be outperformed. She also reflected on the successfully completed 2018 Eurobond repayment process, the reforms implemented in the MoF related to the EU Agenda, as well as the activities undertaken to speed up the use of funds provided for the implementation of specific projects.
Public Revenue Office Director stated that, in 2024, revenues PRO collected on the basis of taxes and social contributions were higher by Denar 33,195 million, being by 15% more compared to 2023.
“This increase, being generated particularly during the second half of the year (accounting for 58% of the total increase), implies a strengthened tax discipline. Improved revenue collection is a result of the better coordination and control of the PRO’s internal processes. In 2024, tax revenues were collected via public sale of movable and immovable assets of the debtors, including: six commercial vehicles, six freight vehicles, one motorcycle, one machine, four apartments, one vacation home, three farmlands and one plot of land. Furthermore, Public Revenue Office issued 525 decisions, under which the founders and the managers, as tax guarantors, are to settle the tax debt of the debtor companies. Tax debt of the companies dropped by Denar 147 million as a result of it being collected from the tax guarantors”, the Director highlighted, adding that as of November 2024 inclusive, a total of 3,352 tax audits had been conducted, of which 40% uncovering irregularities. As announced, tax revenues in the amount of Denar 968.3 million were also collected, based on audit findings, representing an increase of 47% compared to 2023.
As Customs Administration Director General, Boban Nikolovski, highlighted, revenues they collected in the second half of 2024 amounted to over EUR 1 billion, whereby revenues collected on the basis of customs duties, excise duties and motor vehicle tax recorded an increase of 13.8%, 8.9% and 20% respectively. Number of cases of seizures during detected perpetrated misdemeanor and criminal acts increased by over 100% compared to the same period in 2023. Throughout 2024, a total of 89 criminal charges were filed before the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office, with 69 criminal charges being filed against 37 legal entities and 101 individuals during the second half of the year alone, 766 misdemeanor charges were filed as well.
Financial Police Office Manager, Slobodan Ivanovski, informed that, during 2024, a total of 34 reports regarding budget-related offences were filed before the competent public prosecutor’s offices, FPO received over 100 reports filed by citizens and institutions, it opened several cases upon its own initiative, as well as acted upon several orders issued by the public prosecutor’s offices. He also said that public prosecutor’s offices submitted two initiatives for action to the Financial Police Office as per the new Law on Property Confiscation in Civil Proceedings.
Director of Financial Intelligence Office, Kujtim Ibishi, outlined the activities carried out or coordinated by the FIO. He underscored the prepared National Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Risk Assessment Report, the adopted ML/FT NRA of legal entities, the adopted Law on Modifications and Amendments to the Law on Preventing Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, whereby achieving full alignment with EU regulations. As he said, list of indicators for identifying suspicious transactions by the casinos was updated, and strategic analysis of reports submitted by notaries public was prepared.
Director of the Public Procurement Bureau, Mare Bogoeva-Micovska, highlighted some of the undertaken activities and announced several novelties all to the aim of greater efficiency of the public procurement system.
She pointed out that, starting 2025, use of e-auctions will be reduced to up to 40% of all public procurement procedures, changes will be made to the administrative control mechanism, and activities will be undertaken as regards the automation of tender documentation and financial offer in standardized format.
Director Krstanoski said that, for a period of four months, and as a result of the new working approach of the Legal Affairs Office, over 3,500 privatization cases were resolved, a process which in July 2024 had been at almost a complete standstill. As he said, LAO regional offices in Bitola, Prilep, Tetovo, Kichevo, Gostivar and Ohrid acted upon approximately 3,500 expropriation proposals related to the construction of the Road Corridors 8 and 10d and the Kichevo – Ohrid Highway.
