Hristijan Mickoski: Pension system stable, pensioners should not worry

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the country's pension system is currently stable and urged retirees not to worry, speaking after the presentation of a new World Bank report. His remarks came amid domestic experts' recommendations for a gradual rise in pension contributions and for increasing the retirement age by one year.

Government reaction and internal differences

Mickoski acknowledged that officials inside the administration may hold differing views, mentioning the director of the Pension Fund by implication, but emphasized that neither he nor the government see a cause for alarm.

He told reporters: "No one, absolutely, should worry. The director of the Pension Fund, I assume, has his own position. We do not always have to agree with the views of people who are part of the government. But the government and I personally consider that the situation is absolutely stable and secure and pensioners should not worry."

On the topic of public resources, Mickoski added a call for tighter controls on misuse of funds. "The money is there, but the money must be found where it is being misused and redirected to where those funds are needed," he said.

The prime minister’s remarks frame the immediate policy debate: experts advising incremental increases to contribution rates and a one-year rise in retirement age, while the government stresses current stability and pledges to address any misuse of public money.

Photo: press material from the event