“Let’s Help Macedonian Economy for the Good of All of Us!”

TIRANA – A decision has been made by the Macedonian Economic Chamber to change the format of the its way of addressing the public and citizens of the country who are closely following everything that has happened, especially in the economic sphere, at these times of the pandemic.

This was declared by Mr. Antoni Peshev, Chairman of Chamber’s Assembly in a media communication on Monday. He pledged that as of Monday the Chamber would start slowly to build a direct link with the media and the entire Macedonian public in order to directly exchange views, opinions, dilemmas and possible proposals on what country’s economy needs at the moment. “We think that it should focus its efforts in order to get out of the crisis with as few consequences as possible and for the normalization of the overall life in the country to happen in the shortest possible time.”

Speaking in concrete terms on the economic situation Mr. Peshev referred to the records of the Employment Agency which showed that 7,030 new unemployed people were registered in the country in April. This figure, according to him, is identical to the number in Kosovo while in Serbia about 6,047 employees have lost their jobs since the crisis began.  He quoted also data provided by the Albanian Tax Administration according to which 61,000 workers have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus crisis in Albania.

A balance sheet unveiled by Chamber’s head revealed that the Macedonian economy has been operating in extremely difficult circumstances, relying on its own reserves for the second month in a row of the state of emergency caused by the pandemic of Covid-19.  According to him, government measures, despite the best will and intention, are complicated and difficult to access to a significant part of Chamber’s members.  “We must conclude that the measures are focused predominantly on workers’ rights, which we understand because of the sensitivity of the position in which most citizens have found themselves – afraid of their health, the future of their jobs and their families,” he said.

But the Chamber’s Head cautioned against the illusion that everything is normal in the economy as such a thing makes people think that everything will return to normal in a short time and that everything will be the same in a week or two.

The Chairman of the Economic Chamber concluded by saying that North Macedonia is facing the most difficult period of overcoming the crisis, and in such circumstances the state must communicate with its economic segment which is the only provider of budget revenues. “If it does not work, there is no chance for a normal life,” he said. /argumentum.al