The corona crisis is taking its toll. For a period of six months from the start of the crisis, or specifically from the end of February onwards, due to the economic consequences caused by the pandemic, as many as 38.943 people lost their jobs in the country, according to the latest data from the Employment Agency. 

Experts and civil society organizations agree that the most affected are those who live in poverty or at risk of poverty, ie are part of vulnerable categories.

Last year, the State Statistical Office published data according to which in the country in 2018, 455 thousand people or 21,9 percent of the population lived in poverty. There are no new data for last year, but estimates are that it would be around 19 percent. Due to the crisis caused by the coronavirus, there is a danger of increasing the number of citizens who will live in poverty, ie the number of poor people may increase to about 23 percent of the population.

So far, the government has adopted four sets of measures to try to deal with the economic consequences of the crisis, but experts and the civil sector are urging not to stop there, to continue to monitor the situation and to take new measures in a timely manner.

With the supplementary budget for 2020, the Government provides 470 million euros for the implementation of the fourth package of measures to deal with the economic consequences of the coronary crisis.

"Through this package of measures, 70 million euros will be used to save 83.000 jobs, ie a total of 250.000 salaries will be subsidized for the months of October, November and December, and the support for payment of salaries will be staggered and will range from 14.500 to 21.776 denars per month. 27,6 million euros will help 283.000 citizens who will receive domestic payment cards worth 6.000 denars each. That is almost 100 million euros that will end up with over 360.000 of our fellow citizens. In addition, twenty other measures contained in the fourth package, provide strong support for companies, provide favorable loans, grants, but also tax incentives to help the sectors that are most affected. say from SDSM.

The World Bank report predicts that the level of poverty in Macedonia will reach 23% by the end of 2020, which means that close to 450 thousand people will be on the brink of subsistence in the country.

Apart from the one-time government measures to help the endangered citizens who lost their jobs due to the coronary crisis, the Macedonian Red Cross has an active role in the daily assistance for the survival of the members of these families. Aleksandra Ristovski from the Red Cross points out that the citizens affected by the coyote crisis are constantly calling for help and support.

The Red Cross volunteers together with their teams in the field are in constant communication and cooperation with the endangered citizens who, in addition to regular delivery of food and hygiene products, meet their health needs, even if they need company to overcome. of the so-called "daily crises".

Since the beginning of the corona crisis, the Red Cross has distributed more than 30.000 hygiene kits and 40.000 food kits throughout the country.