Venko Filipche urges support for €600 minimum wage, warns of social unrest
SDSM leader told MPs to back a law for €600 minimum pay and subsidies for employer contributions, warning of social unrest if authorities ignore the proposal.
Venko Filipche, president of SDSM, on a press conference in the Parliament urged the governing majority to back a bill that would raise the national minimum wage to €600 and to adopt a complementary law subsidising employer contribution costs. He warned that failure to act could spark social unrest across the country.
Filipche criticised the current government's economic management, saying public finances are deteriorating and pointing to a near-€1 billion budget gap and what he described as an expanded shortfall in the pension fund over the past two years.
Key warnings and proposals
Addressing MPs and journalists, he said: "We are fully aware that they neither have an idea, nor the will, nor any vision. They are simply leading us into an economic, financial abyss. Every day they announce only new borrowings, and citizens cannot see any benefit from that, and saw absolutely no benefit," and added that the government is now considering tapping into the second pension pillar.
Filipche also issued a direct warning about public reaction if pension savings were to be used: "I warn them that they will face civic revolt; let it never cross their minds, as the director suggested it might be possible to invest pension fund money in some projects here in the country. Let it never cross their minds to reach for the money that all of us set aside so we have funds for pensions," he said.
He urged that the state find funding without overburdening private employers: "Let them cut luxury spending — travel, furniture and cars — and money can be found in the budget, and let them support companies by subsidising contributions so that this wage increase is not a burden on private companies and the owners who run them," Filipche said.
Filipche added that SDSM has prepared calculations and suggested specific budget savings, and he appealed to MPs to also approve a financial support law for agriculture within two weeks, warning that farmers are under severe pressure and that low purchase prices combined with higher production costs risk a collapse of the sector.
Photo: press material from the event
