SDSM submits for third time bill to set minimum wage at €600

The parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Union (SDSM) has for the third time submitted a bill to the Assembly proposing a statutory minimum wage of €600, party leader Venko Filipche announced at a press briefing in the Parliament.

Filipche argued that the current minimum — 26,000 denars — is inadequate in the face of ongoing price increases and economic pressures, and that most workers are trapped between the minimum and the average wage.

Arguments and proposed funding

He said: "More than 70 percent of workers in the country live on incomes between the minimum and the average wage. In conditions where the trade-union basket amounts to almost 70,000 denars, or over 90,000 denars, and if rent or mortgage costs are added, the current minimum wage covers barely 31 to 37 percent of a household's total expenses."

Filipche added that from the union basket almost 25,000 denars — effectively an entire minimum wage of 26,000 denars — goes to food and non-alcoholic beverages. "If to that are added costs for school supplies, which are now current, nearly 7,000 denars, for transport approximately 5,000 denars, for clothing around 6,000 denars, for healthcare 1,100 or 1,2000 denars, practically our working families cannot survive the month," he said.

On how the proposed increase would be financed, SDSM proposes cutting what it calls luxury budget items — procurement of furniture, official cars and travel expenses for officials — while for the private sector it would introduce a contribution-subsidy measure so companies are not overburdened.

"As we did during the COVID crisis, when wages and pensions continuously rose and there was support for the economy. Over two billion euros went as support to companies to preserve jobs. Now the government should find a way — when it can indulge in luxury, when it can spend citizens' money unaccountably, non-transparently, like the concert for which the prime minister said 0 denars were spent, and the next day we produced the documents. All citizens saw that the prime minister lies and spends citizens' money on such luxury entertainments and celebrations in a situation when citizens cannot make it through the month," Filipche added.

When asked whether he expects support from the ruling parties, Filipche said he does not, accusing the government of prioritizing its tenders and private gain over citizens' welfare.

Alongside the minimum-wage bill, SDSM also submitted amendments aimed at protecting the rights of pregnant women and new mothers related to annual leave: unused leave due to maternity leave would be allowed to be taken until the end of December of the following year instead of until the end of June.

Previous SDSM proposals on the minimum wage — including a bill filed in February — failed to pass the Assembly's Committee on Economic Affairs, Labor and Energy Policy. That earlier bill was debated mainly by opposition members, while only Mile Cekov from the ZNAM camp spoke from the parliamentary majority. The party also notes that a prior submission was returned by the Assembly speaker over technical deficiencies.

Photo: СДСМ