SKOPJE, June 28 (Xinhua) -- The minimum salary in Macedonia is set to increase to 12,000 denar (222 U.S. dollars) starting from September, Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski informed Wednesday.
The Macedonian government will provide monthly support to the tune of 1.5 million euros so that companies pay the minimum salary, Tevdovski told reporters.
The increase would start in September, meaning the government will have to allocate six million euros (6.7 million U.S. dollars) of budget funds by year's end.
Tevdovski also noted that the funds for the support of companies were stipulated in the budget review. He said there was room for an increase of the minimum salary considering the gross domestic product (GDP) structure, share of salaries, and profits.
"In order to be certain that people's jobs are safe, we are designing measures for support of employers. It is crucial to fully pay the minimum salary without layoffs," Tevdovski said.
He also referred to latest data from the Public Revenue Office which showed that about 130,000 people in Macedonia have a monthly salary in the minimum range. This means that 20 percent of the total number of employed persons in the country will benefit from the government's initiative. Enditem
