Official salaries are up to the ceiling, the gap with the citizens is getting bigger

Yesterday's decision of the Constitutional Court to abolish articles of the Law on Salaries of Officials, which created conditions for the salaries of the president, prime minister, ministers, deputies, mayors, judges and other elected and appointed officials to increase by an average of a fantastic 78 percent. caused a storm of reactions.

Until now, a fixed amount of 26.775 denars was taken as the basis for the salary of the officials, which was multiplied by a coefficient of 2 to 4,5, so other allowances were also added, and with the repealed provisions, instead of a fixed amount, the average salary from the previous period will be taken as the basis year which last year was about 32.000 denars. This means that an official who has a coefficient of 3 has received 80.000 denars so far, and from now on he will receive at least 96.000 denars per month.

Kordalov: Politicians are dangerously distancing themselves from citizens

- In order not to put themselves in a situation where the officials present with theses that such was the decision of the Court in which they do not interfere, or come forward with comments that they do not accept the decision and will donate the difference, they should find a way immediately with consensus to pass a legal amendment to abolish this increase which caused a great reaction. To immediately find a systemic solution, and not to play "populism on small balls" now. Because the salaries of the officials are the last ones that need to grow in times of economic crisis, which affects people with low incomes, and statistics say that this is the majority of the population - says Kordalov for "Sloboden Pechat".

He adds that this example shows how crucial communication is and officials must now urgently communicate with the public, because it is one thing to respect a court decision, and another to respect citizens.

- A great danger for politicians is that the citizens feel them as distant, alienated, as separated from them. Confidence can be completely lost. That's why the thesis that they can't get a salary increase, that they will donate, etc., doesn't work. They should agree, by consensus, to pass a legal amendment and prevent the announced increase, which is undignified. Urgent. If the issue is dragged out, a big topic will be created, trust will be destroyed. And value is not built like that - says Kordalov.

After the announcement of the information that his salary from about 93.000 denars will jump to about 165.000 denars, the first official who expressed his dissatisfaction was President Stevo Pendarovski, who immediately called on the Government to propose a legal solution that would regulate the issue by reducing points.

- I think it is distasteful to raise the salaries that are paid from the state budget in times of economic crisis - Pendarovski reacted.

The opposition VMRO-DPMNE also demanded an immediate reaction.

- Six hundred thousand citizens live on 150 denars a day. In conditions of economic crisis, enormous inflation and poverty, the last thing that should be done is to increase the salaries of officials. VMRO-DPMNE demands to immediately reduce and correct the coefficient for the complexity of the workplace, which would reduce the salaries of officials. Officials must not be citizens of a special order, but servants of the people - said the spokeswoman of VMRO-DPMNE, Marija Miteva.

SDSM, on the other hand, did not make any statement yesterday regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani, said yesterday that politicians should be the last to receive a higher salary, and citizens with the lowest incomes should have priority.

- From a practical point of view, any politician who says that his salary is not important probably does not send a good message, because it means that he has other sources. I have no other sources of livelihood apart from this salary. Of course, everyone would like to have a higher salary. But from an ethical point of view, politicians should be last on the list. Yes, there should be an increase because the wages are scandalously low, but they should be the last. After everyone's salaries are increased, then the politicians too - said Osmani.

He did not comment on the different interpretations of how much the increase is, whether it is 78 or 19 percent, because he does not know the details, but he repeated that from an ethical point of view, citizens with minimum and average wages should be the first in line for higher wages. Osmani added that this decision will be discussed at a Government session, and he will propose that everyone get a salary increase, but that citizens with the lowest incomes have priority over politicians.

Vice Prime Minister Fatmir Bitici said that the decision of the Constitutional Court cannot be disobeyed.

- The rule of law is inviolable. If there is another decision to intervene there, I am one of the first to support it - he said Creatures.

The mayor of the Airport, Timcho Mutsunski, announced that he is waiving the salary increase and will donate it to humanitarian purposes.

- The Constitutional Court made a decision that foresees an increase in salaries for public office holders. I have to respect that decision because it was made by the highest authority that protects the constitutionality in Macedonia. But I can donate the difference and I will be happy to do so - he said on social networks.

What did the Constitutional Court decide?

The Constitutional Court the day before yesterday гoh canceled memberfrom whom he is with determined that the basis for calculating salary is fixed, because considers that there is a duality in the regulation of the basis of the salary of the elected and appointed persons, which represents an inconsistency. The court determined that two norms exist at the same time for the basis, so that remained in force according to which the basis is determined sпcalculate the average salary earned in the previous year determined by the State Statistics Office.

The initiative was submitted by Bojan Stojevski, a lawyer from Skopje, and the Constitutional Court made the decision on March 21, four months after the submission. According to the calculation of the Management Union, judicial authorities and associations of citizens (UPOZ), пthe president's lata Pendarovski from 93.000 denars will reach 165.000 denars. The salaries of Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski and the President of the Assembly Talat Xhaferi will amount to 150.000 denars, the ministers will take about 110.000 denars, andinsulting officials and judges around 100.000 denars.

The Constitutional Court says that in this case there was no question about the amount of salaries, nor about determining calculations and percentages, but that an assessment of the constitutionality of specific provisions was required.

- The Constitutional Court only evaluates the constitutionality of disputed provisions, so according to this, the claim that the Court increased or decreased the salaries of the appointed and elected persons by its decision, which is the competence of the Parliament through the adoption of a law, such as the law that contained the repealed provisions, is wrong and unfounded. provisions - they say from Ustavniot court.

Government: The decision should be respected, we will reduce the coefficient

The decision of the Constitutional Court abolishing the provisions of the Law on salary and other compensation of elected and appointed persons is final and should be respected, нThis does not mean that the salaries of all appointed persons will automatically increase by 78 percent, say the Government for "Sloboden Pechat".

- Dthe current "freezing" of the basis was actually the government's position and the government has defended it before the Constitutional сed. Ministry of Labor has given a negative opinion on the initiative, like that what, the intention of the Government was and still is clear, and that is fair and justly paid work for all stakeholders in society - say from the Government.

Although the salary calculation base is increasing, add, The government is considering the possibilities of reducing the coefficients of the appointed persons for which there is a legal possibility, in order not to burden the budget.

- We appeal to other stakeholders to do the same, within their legal powers. At the same time, we appeal not to speculate and to resort to populist rhetoric and activities, to talk realistically and with facts - say from the Government.

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